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| Tim Karakula, Marketing Intern |
Hey, Cougars! So with finals coming up, we here at Valley know the time can be pretty stressing. Especially when trying to find time to
study. We thought we would give you these tips and tricks to help you turn even
15-minute study breaks into some real brain power sessions to help you crank
out those A’s on your finals.
Tip 1: Mint
Whether gum or actual mints, it’s proven that having a
handful or chewing some classic mint flavored gum is sure to get some electrons
firing in your brain. Mint naturally opens your breathing so more oxygen can
reach your brain. It clears your sinuses and opens the mind. So when you study
and when it’s time for the test, make sure to be chewing some gum. Just please don’t
be noisy and make those popping sounds.
Memory Loss: A recent study explored the effects that mint has on alertness, retention, and cognitive function. It found that people who frequently use chewing gum, whose major active ingredient is mint, had higher levels of memory retention and mental alertness than those who did not.
Tip 2: Breakfast
We know you are in a rush, most of the time so are we. But
when it comes to finals take the 15 extra minutes to sit down and have a good
hearty breakfast. A good breakfast would be made up of a few eggs (whatever way
you like them best), 2 slices of toast with real butter or real jelly, a serving
of fresh fruit, and an 8 ounce glass of orange juice. Having a full breakfast
like this will keep your mind and body up for the task of studying and taking
those final tests. Also try to skip the coffee.
Tip 3: Stay hydrated
Better than pounding a cup of coffee and getting a quick
caffeine high that leads you to a bitter low. Be sure to intake at least eight,
8-ounce servings of water daily. This is about 2 liters or half a gallon. So
grab yourself an empty 2-liter bottle and fill it up and make sure you empty it
daily. Staying hydrated helps to make sure your body gets the best out of the
food it digests, and keeps your body functions properly regulated. Remember
your body is about 75 percent water so you need to keep it hydrated. If you
feel water just won’t be enough and still think and crave the coffee try this
other tip to get the boost you really need. Infused Water.
Tip 4: Infused Water
There are so many combinations out there of fruits, spices,
and herbs. Find what you like and make a combo that will help you. Infused
water provides even more benefits than coffee and hey the taste is probably
better than coffee, too. Plus it doesn’t have any of the negatives effects.
Tip 5: Music
When studying different topics, pick certain songs or types
of music styles for each of those topics. You can build a correlation in your
brain to those topics and ideas by listening to that music again when you take
your test. Now this might be hard if your teacher or professor doesn’t allow
you to have headphones on while taking a test though. Even if you can’t in the
end wear head phones and listen to the music during a test, you might still
have some brain ties going off just by thinking about the music. And hey, music
helps to relieve stress too.
Tip 6: Stress Release
You already know that music will help to relieve stress so
what else? Well, the biggest is don’t worry or over think things, just do it.
Worrying won’t solve a problem and will only cause stress to build up and cause
you to not be able to achieve your maximum potential. Another good way to
relieve stress is through physical activity. Go run, swim, and walk, something
to get your blood pumping. Eat some chocolate or your favorite food. When you
go to study or take a test, clear yourself of stress and stressful thoughts as
they won’t help you get that A.
Tip 7: One Last Review
Show up early to class if possible and have some note cards
or regular notes ready. Try to review again during the 10 to 20
minutes before a class or test, by going over those notes and cards as much as possible. It’s fine that you won’t remember everything perfectly,
but your brain has short term and long term memory and by utilizing your short term you might have the tidbits of knowledge to pass the
test.
Tip 8: Sleep
Get off Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vine, YouTube, or
whatever or media you are using at 10, 11, or 12 at night. Go to bed. You can’t
be staying up late with tests coming up. Even studying while being tired is
kind of useless. You can’t hope to make it through a day with your phone at 11%
power, why should your body then? Get the sleep you need to be getting, which
should be at least 8 hours. But don’t sleep too much either as oversleeping can
be almost as bad as not enough sleep for your body.
You might have heard the sayings “Dress for success” or
“Dress well, test well.” There is a little truth behind these catchy phrases
though. Numerous studies have come out with evidence that your self-perception
can affect you cognition and intellect and therefore, your testing abilities. I
know it may seem like a pain, but it may be worth the extra time it takes to
get ready to look nice and dressed well.
Good luck on finals this week!
