STUDENTS TOOLBOX

ST CHALLENGE
ST PL ANNERS

EXAM
STUDY KIT

PLANNERS
T H E G U I D E TO A S U CC ES S FU L STUDY SESSI ON + EXAM STUDY KIT

IN T RO D U CTI O N
You have an exam in three weeks, and you are ready to start studying. You made an
awesome study plan, and you have scheduled three tasks for today. You have
organized all your study materials.

But when you sit in front of your desk, you just can’t seem to focus.

You may ask, what went wrong?

If you want to have a productive and successful study session, you will need to have
good planning, effective time management, and a determination to succeed.

This is why using a planner is highly recommended.

It not only helps you to plan and organize, but the process of planning helps you to set
yourself in a good mood and attitude, gives you motivation and allow you to
understand the clear and concrete end goals and purposes of your study sessions.

With all of these things combined, it makes your study session successful and effective.

This document provides you with a simple guide to a successful study session, along
with an exam study kit for you to print out and plan your study tasks.

RECOMMENDED READINGS
• HOW TO SET GOALS AND ACHIEVE THEM
• THE POWER OF THE GROWTH MINDSET FOR STUDENTS
• THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PRODUCTIVITY FOR STUDENTS + PRODUCTIVITY
WORKBOOK
• BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY WITH THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE + DAILY TASK
PLANNER
• HOW TO MAKE AN EXAM STUDY SCHEDULE YOU’LL ACTUALLY STICK TO + EXAM
PLANNER
• SCIENCE-BACKED STUDY TIPS TO ACE YOUR EXAM + CHECKLIST
• HOW TO STUDY FOR EXAMS IN A WEEK

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T H E G U I D E TO A S U CC ES S FU L STUDY SESSI ON + EXAM STUDY KIT

PL AN N I N G A N D GET TING S TA R TED

1. HAVE A GROWTH MINDSET
A growth mindset is the belief that you can improve and that your hard work matters.
Having this mindset can encourage and motivate you to work knowing that your
effort can generate positive results.

2. SET THREE IMPORTANT PRIORITIES AND GOALS

Setting priorities and goals for the day can help you clearly understand what you
need to achieve. While having too many goals is unrealistic and confusing, having too
few may reduce your motivation to work since it’s not challenging enough. Three is a
good number to start with.

3. LIST OUT MATERIALS NEEDED

This is especially helpful if you are not studying at home. We all know how annoying it
is when we are all set up and ready to study in the library only to realize that you left
your notes at home. Making a list of materials required prior to the study session can
prevent this from happening.

4. ORGANIZE YOUR STUDY SPACE

A clear space means a clear mind. Having a cluttered desk will distract you and make
it difficult to focus. Clearing and organizing your desk also has the benefits of setting
yourself in the mood of studying.

5. USE TOOLS TO HELP YOU

Can barely focus for 5 minutes? Try to use a timer, Pomodoro app or background
noise to help you concentrate on your study tasks.

6. REMOVE DISTRACTIONS
If you want to stay focused, you will need to remove things that distract you. One
obvious one would be your phone. If you need to use a productivity app, turn on the
airplane mode to prevent any notification from distracting you.

7. PLAN YOUR STUDY TASKS

After you have set everything up, you will need to list out what you have to do during
the study session. This includes setting concrete goals (e.g. creating study guides for
3 chapters) and setting a specific time limit to yourself.

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T H E G U I D E TO A S U CC ES S FU L STUDY SESSI ON + EXAM STUDY KIT

DU R I N G T H E S T UDY S ES S IO N
1.STAY HYDRATED
Drinking water can not only help you stay hydrated and healthy, it can also help you
stay focused! It is reported that thirsty people often have a longer response time and
may even have problems concentrating.

2. USE TIME MANAGEMENT TACTICS THAT WORK FOR YOU

Whether you prefer the Pomodoro technique, or prefer using your own timer or time
estimation method, setting a specific time limit for tasks is a great way to encourage
you to work and monitor your progress.

3. TAKE BREAKS
While studying is important, it is also crucial to take breaks. During breaks, engage in
activities that are less time-consuming. If you find it difficult to put down your phone
after five minutes, engage in activities like taking a walk, have some snacks, do a 5-
minute workout etc.

4. RECORD YOUR DISTRACTIONS

It is almost unavoidable to be distracted when studying. Jot down things that distract
you, and record them so that you can work on them later instead of during your study
session.

5. CHECK THINGS OFF YOUR LIST & RECORD THE TIME USED
Ticking things off the to-do list is a very encouraging act. It’s also recommended to
record the time you actually used for that task so that you can better estimate how
much time you need the next time.

6. WRITE DOWN THE THINGS THAT REQUIRE FURTHER ACTIONS

Realized that you don’t understand something and want to ask your teacher about it?
Found out that you are not that familiar with a chapter after completing a past paper?
Write these tasks down so that you won’t forget about it!

NEED HELP WITH ALL OF THESE?

We’ve got the perfect planner for you to keep track of your progress and
record all your distractions and further actions!

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 STUDY SESSION PLANNER
S T UDY SE SS I ON

DATE TIME LOCATION

HAVE A GROWTH MINDSET CLEAR DESK

CLEAR PRIORITIES AND GOALS POMODORO APP / TIMER

REMOVE DISTRACTIONS STUDY SOUNDTRACK

S
ACT UDY
T I O NTASK
ST E S
PS

PRIORITY TASK END GOAL TIME REQUIRED TIME USED

HYDRATION SNACKS

STUDENTS TOOLBOX
 EXAM TOPIC LIST
FIRST EXAM SECOND EXAM THIRD EXAM
COURSE COURSE COURSE

EXAM DATE & TIME EXAM DATE & TIME EXAM DATE & TIME

TOPICS TOPICS TOPICS

FORTH EXAM FIFTH EXAM SIXTH EXAM

COURSE COURSE COURSE

EXAM DATE & TIME EXAM DATE & TIME EXAM DATE & TIME

TOPICS TOPICS TOPICS

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 EXAM STUDY PLANNER

MY P L A N
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

STUDENTS TOOLBOX
 EXAM STUDY KIT: USER GUIDE

Most of us fail to estimate the time we need for each task, or over-schedule our day
with an excessive number of tasks, making our plans unrealistic. This exam study
planner helps you to schedule your assignment tasks and exam study tasks
according to your availability and estimated time for each task.

This is for you to write down the dates of the start

and the end of this study plan.

Write down the three important

goals that you want to achieve
during this period of time

The total number of pomodoro or hours you want to

spend on studying every Monday
Deadlines/events of the day
Assignment/homework tasks
Study tasks
The number of pomodoros or hours you spend on
each task

The topic list helps you to visualize all the exams

you have and the topics you need to study
before the exam. This prevents you from
missing a topic or two, and can also help you to
monitor your progress and help you identify
which subject you should focus more on.

The priority of the topic

The list of topics
Tick when finished studying that topic

STUDENTS TOOLBOX