A late night of coffee, tears and a desk covered in papers on papers on papers.

The clock ticks slower than it did in the p.m.

The sun rises sooner than expected.

Knowing this is them, the image may make an AP student flinch. They might be squirming in their seat thinking about the content they have to cover in the next week or two. There might be beads of sweat on their furrowed brows and a heavy weight in their stomach as they stress about their upcoming exams.

If the feeling rings a bell, here’s how to not just survive AP week, but survive successfully.

Set a plan

Before you start studying, set a plan to do it. Cramming the night before an exam is not adequate studying. Split the studying up into separate days. Instead of studying for five hours  in one night, study for an hour every in the span of five days. Use a piece of paper, planner or a bullet journal to map out a study plan and stick to it.

The Pomodoro Technique

When actually studying, use the Pomodoro Technique to actively studying and still give your brain a break. The Pomodoro Technique is a timer system in which you study for 25 minutes and then take a five minute break. After four Pomodoro rounds, take a long break of 15-30 minutes. Continue this cycle until your task is finished.

Make studying fun

The Pomodoro may sound tedious, but by incentivising studying, it may not sound as daunting. Use pretty stationary materials to get excited to study. Treat yourself with small snacks every time you finish a chapter or a Pomodoro round. Studying can be tedious, but having something to look forward to as you study will make it go faster.

Collaborate

As a wise man (Bill Nye) once said, “Everyone you meet knows something you don’t.”

Collaborate with others to share knowledge. Use the Pomodoro Technique to ensure that friends aren’t distracting. Work alone for 25 minutes and use the breaks to discuss the content, so everyone is on the same page.

Sleep

As all-nighter season or, AP week, approaches, don’t fall into bad habits such as all-nighters. Sleep deprivation can negatively affect a student’s mood, energy, ability to learn, memory, good judgment, reaction time and efficiency. Studying will be for nothing if a sleep deprived student finds it hard to remember what they studied.

Preparing for AP week is more than just studying. It’s about planning, studying efficiently and taking care of your body. To successfully survive this time of year, make planning, incentivising and sleeping habits. You’ll thank me later.