Dental Student shares study tips

First Year Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) student Aula Al Salaman shares her top 3 tips for students who are going into the examination period.  

Tip 1. Delete Social Media and Game Apps.  

Procrastination is your biggest enemy during this time as you may want to avoid the negative feelings of stress and fear that accompany VCE exams. Instead, 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 rewarding yourself with them at the end of each day. 

Tip 2. Find a quiet working space with no distraction 

This space could be your study desk, the library or your backyard. It is 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 is important that you prepare yourself for the real experience. Hence, try to make your environment as identical to your exam hall conditions as possible. I suggest printing your practice exams in hard copies and attempting each in one sitting, preferably during the time scheduled for your real exam. Try not to take breaks and create a plan for each exam whilst 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)

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