We are gearing up for the last leg of this year, in just a few weeks, exams will start and the pressure of doing well. We’ve done the hard work for you and gotten you the top 12 study tips to get you exam-ready in no time.

FUN FACT - Interestingly, the best students aren’t the ‘smartest’ students.

There is nothing stopping you on becoming the best student, with enough preparation and study

Students that ace exams have three things in common – the motivation to get good grades, the drive to hit the books, and the knowledge of what works best for them when they study

Tip 1 - Study Alone

Unless you've got a couple of friends who are super-serious about getting down to business, stay away from group study sessions because they tend to get off-topic quickly. Save the social time till after you've handed in your test.

Tip 2 - Create Your Perfect Study Area

The place where you study should be quiet, comfortable and free from distractions. Go to your room, close the door and kill as many distractions as possible - like music, television, and even the internet and your phone. If you don't have your own room that you can sneak away to, consider studying at the library instead.

Tip 3 - Get it All Out

Your study materials, that is. Before you dig in, make sure you have all your books, notes, study guides and stationery in front of you. Don't give yourself another excuse to get up and rummage around. Rule number 1 of procrastination

Tip 4 – Find a study method that works for you

People have different methods of study that work for them, note taking, flash cards, drawing mind maps, reading out loud the list goes on. Use the method that works for you

Tip 5 - Snack Healthy While You Study

If you want to stay sharp while you study, stay away from junk food.  Instead, snack on studying-friendly foods like dark leafy greens, whole grains, peanut butter, milk, and seafood. Feeling sluggish? Caffeine or energy drinks won't help you in the long run. Get your energy boost instead by eating a banana or an apple.

Tip 6 - Narrow it Down

If you try to study every single thing your teachers ever said, you'll go crazy. Instead, focus on the most important topics. If you're not sure what those are, read the study guide (if there is one), or ask your classmates. Once you've nailed down the important stuff, if there's still time left before the test, you can move onto the finer details.

Tip 7 - Take a Break

Your brain can only take so much hard work at one time. For every hour that you study, take about 15 minutes to do something mindless, like taking a walk, listening to music or playing a computer game. (You can even take a 15-minute nap if you're confident you can wake yourself up at the end of it.) It'll keep your stress level down and give your brain a chance to let all that information sink in.

Tip 10 - Put Yourself to the Test

Once you've got your set of flash cards, test yourself with them.  If you don't trust yourself not to cheat, give the cards to your parents and have them test you. Don't stop till you've made it through the whole stack without any mistakes. And be sure to bring your flashcards to school with you on the day of the test: you'll be amazed at how much more you can retain if you run through the cards right before your teacher hands out the test paper

Tip 11 - Get Some Sleep

You might be tempted to pull an all-nighter, but if you do, you'll only be hurting your chances of getting an A. Get a full 8 hours of sleep, so your brain is in good shape on test day.

Tip 12 - Study All Semester Long

It's tempting to hold off on studying till the last minute, especially if you tell yourself that anything you try to memorize earlier on won't really stay in your brain. That's not true. Take some time throughout the semester to review all of your notes and re-read important passages in your textbook. It might seem tedious, but it'll really keep all those facts in your brain on test day.

So there you have, our tips on how to study smart and pass the exams

Comment to let us know if this was helpful or tell us what study methods work for you