Dental student shares study tips

First Year Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) student Aula Al Salaman shares her top three tips for VCE students who are going into the examination period. 

Tip 1. Delete social media and game apps

Procrastination is your biggest enemy during this time while you’re trying to avoid the negative feelings of stress and fear that come with VCE exams.  Instead of studying, you may find yourself spending long hours chatting with friends or playing games. But the only way to calm these feelings down is to increase your confidence, and that comes through adequate preparation. My advice is to delete all these distracting apps during your scheduled study sessions and reward yourself with them at the end of each day. 

Tip 2. Find a quiet working space with no distraction 

This space could be your desk, the library or your backyard. It’s important to not study in bed as research has shown that studying where you sleep can affect your alertness. Make sure to let people around you know not to disturb you so you can maintain your focus throughout your practice exam sessions. A designated space to study invokes concentration and helps you reach that ‘in zone’ focus, which is essential in the weeks leading up to exams. 

Tip 3. Simulate an exam environment 

VCE exams can last for hours so it’s important that you’re prepared for the real experience. Try to make your environment as identical to exam hall conditions as possible. I suggest printing your practice exams in hard copies and attempting to finish an exam in a sitting. Preferably during the time scheduled for your real exam. Try not to take breaks and create a plan for each exam while you are completing them at home. Identify any of the knowledge-gaps and time management issues and find strategies to solve them for your next practice exam. 

(Aula Al Salaman – Dental student)

To find more tips to share with your students visit our website.