Hello Brains!
This is it. You have taken notes. You have studied. You're in the home stretch.
All that's left to do is just to get through finals and then you're free!
Get through... finals.
Excuse me.
How?!?
[incoherent wailing]
[music intro]
Testing taking can be a challenge for anyone but for those of us with ADHD
it can feel like torture. Sitting still. Being quiet. Staying focused. Not exactly our
strong suits. Oh, and by the way, a good chunk of our grades depend on it. No pressure.
Luckily, there are some things we can do to make the process a little easier and
give ourselves the best chance of getting a high enough grade to make up for all
those homework assignments the dog ate.
We pretty much covered how memory works in the last two videos on note-taking and studying.
So this time we'll get right into the test taking tips. But, since it's practically
tradition by now, to help me explain them I've enlisted monkeys in funny hats.
Once again, the three main stages of memory are: Encoding, Storage and Retrieval.
As long as we've encoded and stored the information we need to know it's there in our brains.
All that's left to do on the test is to retrieve it. I know, easier said than done.
Our ability to do that, quickly enough to finish the test on time, can be affected
by a lot of factors. From how often we've accessed the information to how much sleep we got the
night before. So here are some things we can do before, during, and even after the test
to put those factors in our favor. Day before the test: Practice. Our memories aren't
stored like books on a shelf. They're a network of neural connections.
The stronger the neural pathways to those memories are the more quickly we
can remember them. Practice quizzes are a great way to strengthen these pathways.
Quizlet.com is a fantastic resource for this.
Night before the test: Sleep.
No. Seriously. Sleep.
Again, sleep helps us consolidate what we've learned. And not getting enough sleep
makes it really hard to focus. Research actually shows that getting a full night's
sleep is better for your grades than spending a few extra hours cramming.
So, yeah, don't feel guilty. Go to sleep!
Morning of the test: Eat.
Actual food.
Proteins. Fruits. Veggies. Whole grains are all good.
Avoid sugar and junk food because they might feel good now but you'll crash later.
Possibly in the middle of the test. If you take meds remember to take them.
That's not from personal experience.
And move. Vigorous exercise helps stimulate your brain which helps us focus.
Right before the test: Meditate. Take a few deep breaths. Give yourself a pep talk.
Put on your magic hat. Whatever helps you calm your brain and feel confident
and ready to take on the test. This helps avoid test anxiety which can hurt test performance.
During the test: Manage distractions. Bring a fidget toy with you or some
headphones to play white noise or, even better, the music you were listening to
while you were studying. Sit somewhere that minimizes distractions from other students
like the front row. If you're still distracted ask if you can take the test in a quiet place.
Manage your time. One way to do this is to use a timer. If there are thirty questions
and you only have an hour to answer them set a timer for two minutes for each question
and don't work past that. Challenge yourself to see if you can do them in less.
If you get done with the test early you can always go back to the questions you
didn't have time to finish. Speaking of which, if people start handing in their
tests early don't worry. There is no prize for finishing first. Take all the time you
need to go back and review your answers. Also, check with your school about
accommodations. You might be able to get extra time for test taking.
If you're also dyslexic you can often get accommodations such as an oral test.
So it helps to ask.
Feed your brain.
The brain uses glucose as fuel and it uses more during challenging mental tasks.
Like tests. So it helps to have a light snack or sip on a little juice while you work.
One of the brains combines these techniques and takes a candy bar
and divides it up into pieces then eats one every so many minutes during the test.
Which keeps his brain fed and helps him keep track of time. Too much sugar will
make you crash later though so moderation is key.
Read instructions.
Slowly.
Twice.
It can actually help to highlight them. Otherwise we tend to go quickly and
make mistakes we could have avoided.
Mix it up. ADHD brains like novelty. Switch hands. If you're allowed to, try using different
colors for the different sections. Whatever keeps you engaged.
Don't get stuck. If you don't know the answer to a question put a star next to it
and move on. If you're not sure if your answer is correct put a dot next to it.
And move on.
If you have time left when you get to the end of the test go back and answer the
ones you skipped first and then go back and review the ones weren't sure of.
Breathe. Whenever you start to get anxious or frustrated, breathe.
There's a great acronym for this called "STOP". Stop. Take a breath or two. Observe.
Figuring out what you're feeling can help you deal with it. Proceed in a way that will help you.
If that question's stressing you out, skip it. If you need to stretch, stretch. Then keep going.
After the test: Relax.
Celebrate! You made it! It's done! It's over! And you're still alive! Reward yourself.
It doesn't have to be anything big. Take yourself out for an ice cream cone.
Watch a movie. Take a really long nap. Then, when you're feeling up to it,
note what worked for you and what didn't. This probably isn't the last test you'll ever take.
Sorry.
And it'll help you do better next time if you keep track of what worked for you this time.
And, maybe most importantly, let it go. I can't speak for you but for me obsessing
over my test results makes me even more anxious on future tests, which again,
is not great for test performance. Whatever happens, try to learn from it and move on.
That's it for this week. Good news: you don't have to remember any of this.
I have actually included a link to a printable cheat sheet in the description below.
It doesn't have the answers to the test but it includes all the tips in this video.
Let me know if any of them work for you.
As a reminder, I'm taking a little two-week break from making episodes but I'll still
be checking messages and taking topic suggestions so hit me up on Facebook or Twitter
and I will see you in a few weeks.
Bye Brains!
All you have to do now is get through finals and you're free.
[crying] Why?!?
[groaning]
How?!?
[wailing]
[yawning] Oh gosh. Nap. I get to have a nap.
[incoherent happy sound]