How to cram for an exam in 1 day (easily and fast)

Although cramming is not recommended, there are times when you may be compelled to do so. Maybe you were working on your part-time job, or perhaps you had another engagement that didn’t give you much room to prepare for your exam. And now you are left with one day to prepare for your exam, and you are worried that you might not make a decent grade.

Don’t worry; we have got you covered. In this article, you will learn practical tips on how you can cram for your exam in one day fast and easily.

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How to cram for an exam in 1 day easily and fast tips

1. Get enough sleep

Before you start preparing for your exam, which is tomorrow, it would help if you were well-rested. One way you can be well-rested is to sleep. Sleep for at least 6 hours as enough sleep is necessary for your memory function.

If you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more likely to be agitated, making preparation for your exam difficult and leading to ineffective cramming. So get plenty of rest to get the most out of your cramming session.

READ: how to get prepare for study

2. Eat well

You will need to eat a well-balanced meal before you start cramming. According to studies, eating a moderate amount of food is necessary to help you focus, and it has also been proven that students that eat well before studying tend to score high in exams.

For your brain to work optimally and adequately, it needs sufficient nourishment from the food you eat. Absent of this nourishment will cause reduced focus, and your brain might not get the required blood flow, making it work harder and slower to compensate. So eat well before embarking on your cramming session.

3. Gather the material you will need

Before leaving for your study location, Take the time to gather a blank notepad, pens, the course curriculum and textbook, and your complete class notes.

Do not mistake starting a study session without the necessary materials. Also, make sure you don’t bring anything that will cause you to become distracted.

4. Go to your study location

Now that you have gathered the necessary material, it is time to move to your study location. Since cramming involves getting large amounts of information to your brain within a short time, finding a quiet study location that will be devoid of distraction will be advisable.

It could be tempting to study with your friends, especially if you’re studying something difficult. While friends can be a great source of encouragement, they aren’t necessarily the best study partners when you’re short on time.

Also, ensure to turn off your phone, or at the very least set it to silence. When you have one day to cram for your exams, having a calm and quiet environment is what you need to concentrate on.

5. Do not worry

If you’ve left studying until the day before the exam, you’re probably worried about how you’ll get everything done in such a short amount of time. It’s critical that you don’t panic, no matter your circumstances. Concentrating, memorizing facts, and thinking critically about the exam material will be far more difficult if you are stressed or anxious.

You still have plenty of time to process the information and emerge happy; a positive can-do attitude will help you get there! And don’t worry if you’re feeling a little tense — that’s quite normal.

Take time to clear off your head, and relax if you feel pressured. You can call your best friend to tell him about your worries. Do what can make you feel relaxed, like playing your favorite music or meditating. Do this, feel comfortable, and don’t worry too much that there is a lot for you to cover. Feel free and study.

6. Develop a plan

The first thing you must recognize is that you will not be able to complete the course in one day. That’s not possible, and it would take far more time than you now have. So your best bet will be to plan.

So you will need to spend some time and figure out what topics you will need to address and how much time you’ll need for each one. Although this might appear to be a waste of valuable revision time, it is not; it will save you time in the long run and get more done.

Planning is necessary to help you be more responsible for your actions and determine how best to utilize this one day left for exams.

LEARN how to make a proper study time table to plan

7. Make a list of key terms, concepts, and ideas

Since your time is limited, it may be worth it for you to concentrate on only the essential concepts, terminology, and ideas. In general, you may tell if something is significant if:

Your professor has mentioned that it will be in your exams
It is necessary for understanding the rest of the course.
It has been mentioned numerous times in the textbook or during lectures
In a course curriculum or textbook, it is highlighted, underlined, or bolded.

So grab your course syllabus, a pen, and a blank notebook to start looking for these terms. Begin by going over each topic and scribbling down any key terms in the blank notebook as you go.

8. Work hard for a while, and then take a short break.

Working hard for a while and then taking a short break is an excellent principle to live by. It would be best if you took a break after studying hard for a while to recharge yourself and get some rest. This will help you return to study with more energy and enthusiasm.

For most cram sessions, you’ll need to be laser-focused, but don’t overwork yourself. Cram for 60 minutes, then take a 10-minute break to get away from the cram environment and get some fresh air but don’t overdo it. This will help you get into a productive routine, working hard and then rewarding yourself with a break which will keep you motivated and productive.

9. Rewrite and reduce your note

Rewriting and reducing your note is an excellent idea to incorporate when cramming. Rewriting and reducing your note will help you reduce the number in your study materials, making your note more readable and removing any ambiguity that would have made the note challenging to follow.

Rewriting and reducing your note can help you simplify your study material, make it more concise, and reduce the amount of information you may have to deal with during this critical time. With Rewrite, you can quickly create notes that are organized by topic, and you can easily find the notes you need.

Rewrite your note as often as possible, reducing them each time to have a more concise note that will be easy for you to cram into your head.

10. Make your note stick to your memory

Now that you have a bit size note, it is time for you to cram. There are several ways to make your note stick to your memory. Some of the ways are:

By reading it aloud: When you read aloud, you use both your eyes and ears, increasing the amount of information your brain retains. Instead of just reading in your head, read it out so you can fully grasp what the concepts are as you articulate them. When you read, listen to yourself, and get what the topic you are reading is saying. Read out as many times as possible until you can repeat what is in your note without looking at it.
Rewrite the main point: The idea of rewriting your study note can never be overemphasized. To make sure that your notes stick to your memory, rewrite the main point that will come out in your exams until you get used to it. Here you would want to forget the details and concentrate on the main point.
You will rapidly become overwhelmed if you try to rewrite every detail and want to stop cramming.
Group the information: It’s simpler to remember related concepts when grouped. It’s tough to recall a long string of numbers in order, but grouping them, as in a cell phone number, makes it more accessible.
Practice old questions: Practicing old question papers is a great way to cram for exams. Remember the saying practice makes perfect. When you practice old questions, you are more likely to remember them. Practising previous questions will help you retain more information and grasp what you’ve learned. Apart from practicing old questions as a way of cramming and making information stick to your memory. The old questions allow you to understand the style, theme, depth, and scope of what to expect in exams.

Some other ideas for making your notes to stick in your memory are to:

Frame them so that they’re easy to see and grab
Use colors that stand out and are easy to remember
Write down key points in a memorable way
Create a mnemonic device to help remember the information
Write down the main points in a table or graph
Write down the main points in a story
Make a list of key points and review it frequently
Create a visual representation of the information

Whatever method you choose, make sure to use it regularly. If you find that your note is slipping out of your memory, try using a different method. But, overall, using a note to help you remember information is a great way to cram.