It’s finally the end of the year and summer is so close we can almost taste it. But before we finally say goodbye for the year, some students have to take the tests everything has been leading up to. The dreaded AP exams. Here are a few essential tips to survive the most “wonderful” time of the year.

Fuel

Make sure you eat a filling breakfast the day of the test. You want to eat something that will give you lasting energy. And make sure to bring a snack because your test could be up to four hours, and that’s a long time for a test. Nature Valley bars are great for on the go energy. My favorite is the peanut butter and chocolate oat bar.

Sleep

Being well rested before a test this big is important. Do not stay up late cramming or watching gossip girl (both of which I have most definitely done before). Teens need about eight to ten hours of sleep a night. Not getting enough sleep can lead to serious problems especially for teenagers because their brains are still developing. Not getting enough sleep makes it harder to concentrate and pay attention. Which is not something you want to be having a hard time doing during a test. 

“When a teenager is sleep-deprived, they’re not equipped to deal with adolescence,”  Els van der Helm, a sleep expert, said.

Hydration

Water is essential for your body so make sure you’re drinking enough whether or not you’re taking a test. So instead of making a Dunkin run the morning of your test, grab a water bottle and get hydrated. Don’t forget to bring it with you to the test, you never know when you might get thirsty. 

Relaxation

Last minute cramming is not going to help, trust me. So instead make a face mask or get one from your nearest drug store and pop it right on your face. You can also take a nice bath to relax. You can make a quick face mask at home with just a half of an avocado, a teaspoon of plain yogurt, and a teaspoon of honey. Mix the ingredients together until they make a paste then apply it to your skin for ten to fifteen minutes. Also, if you have back to back AP exams then make sure you make time to relax between those tests. Many people feel drained after one test, let alone two. Bringing music to listen to or a nice book to read can do a lot to help you relax. 

Being Prepared

Hopefully, you’ve been studying for your test for the last few weeks, but if you didn’t then no worries there are still ways for you to do some last minute studying the weekend before ap exams start. Go over a few specific topics that you may need to review. This way you aren’t bombarding your brain with too much information at once, but you’re still prepared. If you still have time before your AP Exam then try taking practice tests online or from a prep book.

Mnemonics are also a great way to help you remember things. For example, please excuse my dear aunt Sally is a mnemonic to remember the order of operations. Another source to use for studying is Crash Course. Crash Course is a youtube channel created and run by John and Hank Green that has review videos of anything you might need to review. Crash Course has videos on everything from AP United States History to Physics. Khan Academy is also a great online source for studying, especially for AP classes. Khan Academy also has a lot of practice tests. 

And other random tips

Chewing a certain gum while studying and the same one while taking the test helps you remember things. Thanks to context clues, the familiar tasting gum triggers your memories and helps you with all the information you need to remember.

Dress for success for the test. When you dress nicely, you feel more confident which helps you feel more confident on the test.

Reading your notes or textbook right before going to bed will help you remember it better. This is because when you go to sleep your mind filters through all the information you learned throughout the day.

Good luck on your AP exams, and hopefully these tips are useful.