Students and Staff Prepare for AP Tests

It is almost May, and that means… you guessed it! AP exams are right around the corner - get ready for at least three whole hours of sitting still, being silent and digging around your brain until it is empty. Now, while these tests could be consi

dered to determine at least part of your future and will likely cause a very stressed environment at high schools around the country, do not worry. If you listen to me, there is no way you will be unprepared.

• Organize

2. Something everyone thinks about at the start of the school year, and kind of forgets about or gives up on, is organizing, but it is crucial for success on tests and just life in general. Before embarking on your journey of studying, make a game plan, know when exactly your tests are, what you need to work on and prioritize. Write a lists out so you have in writing what you are accountable for and you can not make excuses. While we are on that, crossing things off a list is extremely satisfying, so there is no reason you would not want to complete all the tasks you set.

• Flashcards

• Especially for tests like AP Psych and AP US History, where you need to memorize vocab, dates, names, etc, flashcards can really help students to prepare for these exams. Flashcards are small and portable, meaning you can practice any time you wish and take them with you wherever you go. Also, the practice of writing down what you need to know engages more of your brain, so it helps you memorize concepts quicker and easier.

• Study Groups

• Rally up your classmates and have a nice study session. These are great if you bring people who are a) smart and b) positive. This combination means you can boost your confidence in the subject since you will be boosting ideas off each other, learning the material and you can all be each other’s cheerleaders as you struggle through the difficult practice tests and review packets your teachers have graciously given to you.

• Meditate

• Now this may be a little unorthodox, but meditating could be a successful path for those who feel that their chi is misaligned or who are just too stressed to even attempt all the practice material filling their backpack. To meditate, you do not have to sit cross-legged and hum, you can just sit or lay anywhere and just close your eyes for a minute and clear your mind. If any thoughts about what you have to do enter your mind, say to them, “thanks but I can not talk to you now, it is going to have to wait until later.” Now, I am not a master of this method of relaxation, but try it and it may help you calm down enough to rock your exams before overthinking it or psyching yourself out.

• Reward Yourself!

• One habit of diligent students is that they will often be continuously hard on themselves, drowning in the many, small mistakes they make, ignoring their successes. This problem must be rectified if we are to make it out of testing alive. Allow yourself to be proud when you finally figure out what an equation really means, and can know use it and multiple situations. Give yourself a little snack you have been craving when you memorize a set of dates that you have been mixing up for a while. Take a little break to do something you actually enjoy after scoring a passing score on the practice test that took you multiple tries and multiple hours. Allowing yourself these victories can keep your spirits up and make you feel better when you walk into that testing room.