Study Party

friends2Tests and finals can often be very stressful, and one of the best things we can do to help relieve the pressure of the upcoming tests is to be prepared. A fun way to do that is to host a study party, so we can serve our classmates (1 Peter 4:10), and hopefully learn something new in the process. I’m going to give you a few study party tips and suggestions, then you can adapt them to meet the needs of your own study group.

Study Games

Charades. Your group can take turns acting out the people and events that will be on the test.

Jeopardy. The judge announces a problem that the contestants have to write on a piece of paper and figure out the answer to. (This works great for math tests.) The first person with the correct answer gets a point, and the person with the most points at the end of the game wins (although everybody who learned during this game is a winner!).

Popcorn. The first person reads a few paragraphs; then they randomly pick the next person to read. Make sure to be fair in choosing new readers! This continues until the entire reading assignment has been completed, and a discussion can follow to make sure everyone understands the content. Extra tip: Pay special attention to the definitions of words in bold – they’re likely to show up on the test!

Rhyme. Remember difficult facts by making up chants, rhymes, or one-line jokes that will jog your memory.

Remember: When playing study games make sure you actually pay attention to what you’re supposed to be learning and make sure to thoroughly study what will be on the test.

Snacks

friends1Picking out the best snack for your study party can be tricky, so make sure to keep it simple! Have everyone bring their favorite snack to make things easier on you, but have a few of your own items on hand. You could browse through our Cooking Corner articles for some inspiration, as well as look over the following ideas.

Multi-part cereal. Any cereal that has different food items in it is a fun choice, because every bite has a new taste.

Chex Mix. This can be purchased pre-made at most grocery stores, or you could make your own out of chex cereal, peanuts, cheetos, and pretzels.

Popcorn. It’s so easy to make––all you have to do is pop a bag in the microwave and wait.

Fruit and veggie trays. These will help keep energy up and calories down when the munchies hit hard.

Ice water. Sugary drinks like sodas and kool-aid will give energy for a little while, but that energy will quickly drop, leaving everyone more tired than they would have been without the sugar boosts. Consider having drink mixes like Crystal Light so people can add a little low-calorie flavor to the water.

Outside-the-party tips

Pay attention in class. This is where a good grade starts. If you have a difficult time focusing on or remembering facts about certain subjects, take notes during class. This will help you to stay focused during the class, and will help you to recall and look back on important information after class.

Complete your homework and other class assignments each day. Once you fall behind, it’s very difficult to catch up again, and one study session or unhealthy all-nighter isn’t going to make up for a semester’s worth of missed work. It’s much better to stay caught up; then you’ll only need to brush up on your facts before test days. Plus, when you’re always caught up, a pop quiz will never leave you in a panic!

Learn to budget your time. It takes a lot of self-discipline to start studying for a test two weeks in advance, but if you can pace yourself, you’ll learn and retain more information––and you’ll be able to get much-needed rest the night before the test because you won’t need a last-minute cramming session.

extra9Eat a healthy breakfast. Skipping breakfast or filling up on junk will deprive your body of the nutrients it needs to function at its best, and will leave you tired and foggy-minded. This can make even the most prepared students scrambling their tired, hungry brains for facts they would easily recollect on a full stomach.

Arrive to class early. This will give you time to settle down and focus. Take out your test supplies, including an extra pencil or two, and place them neatly on your desk.

Remember that it’s only a test. While we should always do our best, receiving a bad grade isn’t the end of the world. In the end, the only thing that’s going to matter a Christians is that we lived our lives to glorify Christ, and that we did everything we could do for His sake. Ecclesiastes 12:12–13: “…much study is wearisome to the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.”

By Michelle Jane

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