Competition season is over and you know what that means, SUMMER! But before you can hit beach and enjoy the sunshine, you have to pass your finals. A 'Hit Zero' on the mat is great, but getting a zero on an exam? Not so much.

Here are a few easy study tips to help you ace your exams!

1.Unplug

Studying isn't always fun, and it's easy to look for every excuse to waste time. Unfortunately, come Monday morning you have to take that exam whether you like it or not. Put down your phone and get away from the TV. Block off time to study so you can spend the rest of the day worry-free.

2. Plan, Don't Cram

In a perfect world, we would break up our final exam study sessions into multiple days over a course of three weeks so we could retain as much information as possible. But let's be real, competition season just finished and ain't nobody got time for that. Hopefully, you're reading this with more than 24 hours to spare before you have to sit down to take your test.

Avoid cramming the night before an exam and space out your studying. If your exam is on Friday, begin studying the week prior and cover a little bit of material each day to help retain as much information as possible. 

3. Find A Study Sanctuary

Some people love to study (I say that loosely because nobody really loves to study) in coffee shops, or at the library, in their room, or at the park. Find a place free of distractions where you feel most in the zone and get to it.

4. Reward Yourself & Take Breaks

Set study goals and reward yourself once you reach those goals. Plan to take a walk, get a sweet treat, or get a coffee once you finish two chapters or study for an hour straight. Taking breaks helps improve focus and productivity rather than trying to drudge on in the books for 5 hours straight.

5.Highlight With Purpose

Is it just me? Or has anyone else ever studied their notes and 'highlighting what's important' and after an hour you look up and your entire sheet of notes is covered in highlighter? Yeah...it happens to the best of us. 

So, what's the fix? Get a handful of highlighters in a few different colors and give each color a purpose. Start by highlighting names in yellow, dates in blue, definitions in orange, and events in pink. In the end, you will be able to easily decipher your notes based on color… and your notebook will look like a rainbow so it's a win-win!

6. FlashCards Save Lives

Make them, use them, and re-use them. Flashcards are a great tool for helping you remember terms and definitions. Repetition is everything when it comes to learning. It's the same as in cheerleading, your coach will make you throw a skill 10 times before leaving practice to increase muscle memory. The more you read your flashcards, the more you will remember come test day. 

7. Find Your Finals Friend

Studying isn't always fun, so don't do it alone! Find a friend from class that will keep you focused and motivated while studying. You can work together on tough problems and quiz each other with your flashcards. 

8. Listen Without Lyrics

Some people need complete silence to study, others need to background noise. Instead of turning on the TV and getting distracted, find some music without lyrics to help keep you focused while hitting the books.

Good luck everyone and happy finals week!