Oh the dreaded examination! Whether in the first year of high school or the last stages of your college career, exams can rattle the nerves of even the most prepared and confident student. However, following these few easy tips can make test taking a little easier and your life a little less stressful.

Test Type.
One of the worse things a student can do is preparing for a multiple choice test when they need to be preparing for an essay exam. Knowing and studying for the specific type of exam is a key ingredient in preparing for an examination. Multiple choice and true/false exams exclusively test for factual and specific details vocabulary, dates, names, and general principles. Short answer exams test the understanding of the course material as opposed to the memorization of facts.

Do Not Study What You Know.
The biggest mistake made by students when studying is by beginning the preparation process by reviewing course materials they already know. There is a ton of information that is either common knowledge or concepts you already know and understand. Do not waste your time! The first step in studying is figuring out what you know and what you don't know. Sit down with your notes and highlight everything you know. Review your textbook (the chapters the exam will cover) and lightly cross out everything you know in pencil. Now you are left with everything you actually need to study. At this point review the material and compare it to any study guide or exam review given to you by the professor. Cross out any topic not covered on the exam review. The material not crossed out is what you need to study. Reducing the amount of information that needs to be studied in the week leading up the exam allows for more time to be spent on harder topics.

Stay Active and Eat.
Stretched out on the couch in your favorite sweats might seem like a great way to study it isn't. Comfort easily leads to distraction daydreaming and napping. Try studying on your feet, notes in hand, and review while you walk. Look for an empty classroom and use the white board to your advantage. Visuals (diagrams, concept maps, and graphs) can revitalize a study session, and add a little humor to the learning process. Remember to Eat! Carbohydrates are brain food. Stay away from processed and fast food. While these foods are quick and seem to be saving you time, they do nothing for the brain. Pasta, sandwiches, milk, fruits and vegetables are great sources of carbs and should be included in the diet while preparing for an exam. Especially the night before and the morning of. If your body is hungry, the brain concentrates on food not on learning. It is also important to get regular sleep. Brain fatigue is symptom of cramming and is not good for increasing exam performance. It's also a good idea to get the body moving before an exam. Take a brisk walk. Exercise gets the blood flowing, and raises endorphin levels (in the body) which is a natural way to deal with anxiety.

What If
Even the most prepared student can feel overwhelmed and stressed over the potential results of an exam and there is always time for a reality check. Receiving a bad grade, blowing a test, or failing a class is not great for the ego but it does happen. Believe it or not it is not the end of the world. Make a list of the possible outcomes and plan for each of them. Reach out to family and friends and explain the situation. They are great sources of support and comfort. Having a plan even if things don't go exactly as you would like them is a good way to remove anxiety from a test taking situation.