[ot-caption title=”If you’re stressing out, calm down because we have 10 tips for you (via, Ana Simon, junior)”]

With only a week left before AP exams, students are starting to prepare for these daunting exams. Being the most stressful time of the year, we’ve decided to provide everyone with a list of tips. Here are 10 things you can do to avoid feeling overwhelmed:

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1. Don’t wait until the day before! 

This is absolutely crucial. The more you read over material, the more it sticks. Your teachers don’t tell you this to annoy you, they tell you this because they know best. The more you study the better prepared you will be.

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2. Use all the resources you can find.

Princeton, Barrons, and other review books are helpful.  Some of the books make flashcards, which are very helpful for vocabulary oriented classes, such as psych or gov pol.  However, don’t forget that College Board posts past AP tests online. Make sure to look at those because they will be fairly similar to the test you will be receiving.

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3. Make a schedule.

Sometimes it is hard to not procrastinate or to avoid getting distracted. If you make a schedule, it is easier to not get distracted because you are working to complete a fixed set of tasks. Think of it as though you’re going through a school day; you have to complete certain things to move on.

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4. Hide your phone.

Your phone is extremely distracting, whether you want to to admit it or not. Your best bet for complete focus on the task at hand is to hide it away. You will be much more productive, I promise.

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5. Get some food and water in you.

Food and water are very important, that’s why we need them to survive. Eating and drinking a lot of water will keep you energized and aware. Believe me, you need all the energy you can get.

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6. Take a break.

Don’t fry your brain. If you try to study non-stop without resting, you will tire yourself out. Take a small break when needed to give your brain a break. Give yourself some time to breathe.

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7. Write things by hand.

Writing things by hand will help you remember things more effectively. The more processes and activities that you put your brain through to remember something, the better you will remember it.

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8. Use mnemonics!

Some examples of mnemonics are ROYGIBV for the rainbow or My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos for the solar system.

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9. Make it fun.

Studying gets boring, and if all you do is read, you will fall asleep. Make it fun! Make a game out of studying or walk around while you read. Do anything that will keep you from feel drowsy and bored.

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10. Sleep

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It’s the most important thing to do. It’s crucial that your circadian rhythm isn’t off because that is what makes you feel fully rested. If you want your circadian rhythm to be perfectly synchronized, try falling asleep and waking up around the same time for six continuous days.

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Happy studying!