I’m sure I won’t be the first teenager ever to say this, but AP classes and exams suck. First, you put a ton of time and effort into the class and you have to make sure that you’re keeping up with everything in your other classes. Chances are you also work or do community service (or both) so you have to make sacrifices. Where do you start? How do you choose? The best thing I’ve found is to organize your “stuff” to what will get you furthest in your future. I’m not sure how to tell you to but as for AP classes, I’ve got a few tips on how to stay sane during exams:
1. Begin studying at least a month in advance. If you procrastinate, you’ll have a heart attack “burning the midnight oil” attempting to retain all the information you are supposed to know. I know kids who took Adderall to study, but how healthy is that, really?
2. Don’t drink coffee before you take the test. Even if you’re addicted to caffeine like I am, don’t drink a Starbuck’s Grande Mochachino with a double shot of caffeine because I took enough biology in sophomore year to know what goes in, must come out. And oh boy, will it want to come out.
3. You can’t predict the short answer. So don’t loose sleep over it. Keep a tab on what’s been used recently and KNOW THE INFORMATION. If you know it, you can write about it.
My last tip is don’t panic. When teachers say that you need a good night sleep before a big test, such as the ACTs/SATs or a driving test, they’re totally right. It’s been statistically shown that sleep helps with concentration, so don’t drink any caffeine after six o’clock. Believe me, you’ll need all the concentration in the world to complete the multiple choice and two to three (depending on the test) short answer. So eat a good breakfast and remember, DO NOT DRINK A LOT OF CAFFEINE!! I mean it, you’ll have to pee like a race horse.
