Smart Strategies for Cramming for Exams!

‘Smart work’ is indeed more preferred than ‘hard work’ in today’s fast-paced world, which has become one of the main reasons for cramming. It has become a common practice for students to cram for the exam, rather than spend the entire semester studying for the test. Students often also take up a part-time job or focus on their hobbies which leaves them less to no time to study for the exam. Hence, cramming for exams has become an essential life skill, that students must have, to either get through the exam or ace it! Let us understand the concept of cramming and the advantages and disadvantages of cramming through this article!

What is Cramming for Exams?

Cramming for exams is putting all that you need to write in the exam in your brain, right before the exam. Usually, cramming refers to the last day of ‘studying’ that is done to obtain passing marks in most cases. Toppers also use a different kind of cramming, which is called ‘revising’. However, since they have already studied everything and are just brushing up their portions we cannot really call it actual cramming. The best example of cramming would be if you have not even opened your books once for the entire semester and are finding out that you have quite a lot of topics in your syllabus 20 hours before the exam. The amount of content that you go through in those last few hours, without getting distracted and dealing with exam stress is what helps you pass the next day, is cramming. But does it work? Let’s find out!

Does Cramming Work?

Well, Yes and No. Cramming is not for everyone. To cram for an exam you need to be calm and believe in yourself. Cram study works best when you are highly motivated, and have an adrenaline rush, which comes only when you know you have nothing to lose and everything to learn for the exam. Learning for exams can be a stressful experience unless it is an open-book exam, which it rarely is. But the bottom line is that cramming can only work if you do not stress, no matter how much portion you see and you slowly and steadily start chipping away at it. It can never work if you feel stressed looking at the remaining portion. In that case, it is better to study beforehand and just keep revision before the exam. If you can understand things quickly and you have paid attention to some classes, it becomes comparatively easy to cram before the exam. Here are a few differences between revising and cramming that will help you understand the concept better!

Advantages of Cramming

1. The main advantage of cramming is that you can at least write something in your paper. Usually, cramming makes you familiar with most of the content that is part of the syllabus and gives you the confidence to attempt the questions. If you go into an exam without knowing anything about certain topics, then the chances of you even having the confidence to attempt those questions are less. However, the chances of you having gone through those questions, and even skimmed through some sections of it, make you remember some parts of the answer, around which you can form the rest of your answer.

2. You can save a lot of time during the semester if you are going to cram at the end of the semester.

3. You can also put your brain to full use by cramming. Some people prefer that challenge over having a normal study routine.

Disadvantages of Cramming

1. Cramming is not for everyone. Some students feel more comfortable while studying in portions throughout the semester than just studying for a few last days or hours. This is because, even if you manage to cram a lot of things into your brain, the chances of you knowing everything that is there in the portion is very low. 

2. Since you are overloading your brain with a lot of information in a very short period, the chances of you forgetting a few important pointers of the answer are also high. 

3. Due to the shortage of time, cramming might also lead you to leave out a few parts of the portion, which might be problematic if those questions are asked in the test.

How to cram?

There are a variety of ways in which people prefer cramming for a test. However, I will go in-depth with the method that helped me get through my bachelor’s degree and master’s degree with ease and considerably great grades. However, beware, because it need not mean that this method will necessarily work for you. From ‘How many days to study?’, to ‘How much should you study?’, the answer to these questions can only be answered once you catch your rhythm and can figure out how you can self-study before the exams. Here is the method that worked for me, with alternatives in case you need it.

1. Pay attention in class - Try to at least listen or understand what the professor is saying in class. Written notes or important points taken during the class are preferred, to asking your friends or classmates at the last minute. Even if your notes might not be as detailed as theirs, they still have been written by you, making it easier for you to comprehend and understand the content. If not, read the textbook and make your notes, while you are cramming at least 3 days before the exam.

2. Study for 2 days prior to the exam - If you have followed the first point then you need to give 2 complete days to cover all the study material. Read the material and rewrite answers to the questions.

3. Make Flashcards/Pointers - Make important pointers/ flashcards and read those pointers at least thrice before you write your exam.

4. Reading/ Skimming - Make sure to read or at least skim through the entire study material once, and understand the important points.

5. Past question papers - Go through the past exam questions and their model answers to know what kind of questions you can expect.

6. D-day - Start studying early morning, try to complete at least half of the total portion before the afternoon, and take an afternoon nap, before you start your evening session. If you start feeling exhausted at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., take another 3-4 hour nap, and start studying again at 3 a.m.

7. Before exam plan - Revise the entire portion once before you leave for the exam or on your way to college. Read just the important points/ flashcards, once you reach the venue. Chill, you got this!

Tips and Tricks

1. Cram notes/ Flashcards - Make sure you make short and sweet cram notes that will help you understand complex topics easily.

2. Rest - Take Rest. It is important to give your mind rest!

3. Eating habits - Eat Well, you can read while eating, so you utilise your time more efficiently.

4. No Distractions - Keep your phone and any other devices away, which may distract you.

5. Staying Calm - Stay calm, and cover all topics. If you realise you are not going to be able to finish all the topics, leaving only the ones, which you absolutely cannot do and are not important.

We hope that you know everything about cramming for exams, that will help you score more in the toughest exams! Keep all the pointers in mind while working, and focus on getting rest in between too. Do not stress, and try and be in a comfortable place where you can focus on your studies. Find comfortable and secure student accommodation with amber, so that you can study in peace!