So it is Week 5, and you have a mid-semester exam fast approaching. Maybe not a mid-semester exam, but instead you are sitting the GAMSAT. Maybe you have a few weekly quizzes you need to keep on top of. Exam after exam after exam…

Instead of telling you all how to ace these exams using the tips you already have heard 100 times before: like to exercise, eat healthy, get good sleep, and to NOT cram (we all know that 90% of you do not follow these anyway), I want to share some unique ways that I think can help you ace these exams. As scientists, we need to think unconventionally. Sometimes it’s these unconventional strategies that can make all the difference in retaining information and achieving academic success.

The brain is the most outstanding organ. It works for 24 hours, 365 days, right from your birth, until you step into the exam hall.

1. Using Scents or Chewing Gum

Scents can be used to improve exam performance in a few different ways. Firstly, research has shown that by using a scent to study with, and then using the same scent either before or during an exam can help improve recall. Additionally, aromatherapy can be used to improve memory. Research has shown the smell of lavender can help you sleep and relax better, the smell of rosemary can help increase alertness, and the smell of lemon improves learning performance. Overall, aromatherapy also helps to decrease stress levels and lower anxiety.

A similar trick can be used with chewing gum. Chewing the same flavour during study and during the exam can help improve memory. In addition, even the act of chewing gum alone has been shown to be beneficial by simply keeping our mouths moving, improving focus and alertness during long study sessions.

2. Turn the Music Up

A tip to help you do better on exams AND get a good night of sleep? One study demonstrated that listening to study music while sleeping actually improves test performance compared to only listening to white noise. However, ensure the music is not distracting enough to wake you up. As for listening to music while studying, the effects can be different for different people, however, it has been shown that listening to music decreases stress, and some music (namely, classical) can help increase recall.

3. Explain things to someone who has no idea what you are talking about

The Feynman Technique, as it’s often called, involves explaining complex concepts in simple terms to someone else. This could be a friend outside of biomed, and if you have no friends, explain things to your shampoo bottle in the shower. Verbalising your understanding can reinforce learning, helping you work out what you do know and what you do not know. By breaking down concepts into digestible explanations, you not only solidify your own understanding but also identify areas where you may need further clarification. If your friend in economics can understand DNA replication, then clearly so do you.

4. Increase the Colour

The most important visual experience to humans is believed to be colour. Colour can not only significantly impact mood and cognitive function, but research has shown it also can improve memory performance. Colour improves memorisation ability by increasing our attentional levels. Incorporating vibrant colours into your study materials, including through highlighting key points, making colourful flashcards, or using colour-coded systems. By stimulating your visual senses, you can make studying more engaging and memorable.

5. Make your study space look like something you’d find on Pinterest

Organisation is not the priority of a lot of Uni students, myself included, but current literature shows that a clean desk space can improve efficiency and focus. Clutter competes for our precious attention; physical clutter actually clutters our brain. Messy desk spaces lead to increased stress. It also saves time having everything organised, when your desk is clean you don’t end up spending 10 minutes trying to find where you put your formula sheet amongst the 50 other pages on your desk.

6. Mmmmm cookie

Ok this doesn’t have to be limited to cookies (honestly I am just craving cookies while writing this)…but giving yourself small rewards to stay motivated while studying is a very successful technique. Set goals for yourself, then treat yourself to a delicious snack like a cookie or piece of chocolate (bonus points for dark chocolate) after completing a study session or reaching a milestone. Not only does rewarding yourself increase happiness, but it also serves as positive reinforcement for your hard work and dedication.

7. Study Right Before Bed

Now…too many times have I heard that studying right before bed is bad for you because you don’t retain anything. This is actually a myth! Contrary to what you may have heard before, studying right before bed can actually be beneficial for memory consolidation. The brain continues to process information during sleep, thus reviewing material before bedtime can further reinforce learning, and overall improve retention. Still follow all the common advice regarding getting a good night’s sleep however. A full night of rest completely outweighs any benefits obtained from staying awake longer to study before bed.

8. Consider a Font Change

Depending on your goals for study, different fonts may work for different scenarios. Times New Roman has been shown to be one of the fonts which is read the fastest. Research has shown that when using Times New Roman, performance on reading comprehension tests was improved. If you are going for efficiency, or for reading comprehension, you might want to consider switching to Times New Roman. Conversely, our brain absorbs more information when it struggles to read things. When the brain has to put in effort to encode information, it puts in more effort to recall it too. If you are going for improved retention, consider switching to a more difficult font (noted fonts include Pacifico and Monotype Corsiva).