The lessons are now over and on the calendar the date of the first high school exam is getting closer and closer. In fact, thousands of students will sit on the benches to deal with the subject of Italian, the second and third tests and, finally, the oral exam.
But how to behave in the days of intense and desperate study? And what is good and what is bad for those who will have to spend hours bent over books and notes? From strategies to better concentrate on the right amount of coffee, passing through the importance of sleep and breaks, here are some essential tips to get through the weeks of pre-maturity reviews, studies and calculations unscathed and successfully (hopefully).
Maturity 2023: the tricks to study faster
When you’re sitting on the exam desks, there won’t be either your cell phone or your PC to help you remember that name or that date that just doesn’t enter your head. In fact, it is forbidden “to use mobile phones, smartphones and smartwatches of any kind, devices of any nature and type capable of consulting files, sending photographs and images, as well as infrared or ultraviolet light equipment of any kind at school”, as the Ministry of Education and Merit. And if your memory is a sieve, what to do?
To remember something, draw it
Arm yourself with pen and paper and draw. In fact, to form longer-lasting memories in the brain and keep a concept in mind, it is enough to draw a sketch of it. As he explains it canadian study of the University of Waterloo which conducted the research, the quality of the drawing has no effect on the memorization of concepts. So, even if you’re not an artist, no problem: even just 4 seconds is enough to draw something and keep it in your mind.
With diagrams and graphs it is easier to study
In view of the final “ripassone” for the third test and the oral exam, your salvation could lie in the diagrams. Thanks to the schemes and you have graphsin fact, it is easier to capture the important concepts and relate them to each other with interdisciplinary links, just as your professors expect.
According to one american study of the University of Washington, students who arm themselves with diagrams focus more precisely on concepts developing an excellent overview. In fact, writing every single word of what you are studying or listening to is not the winning strategy: in this way the concentration is focused only on the transcription of the sentences, losing their meaning.
Take small breaks
Studying consistently and continuously is inevitable in the days leading up to maturity, but that doesn’t mean you never have to stop. Taking breaks is necessary for your mental and physical well-being. Distract yourself by chatting with someone, listening to a song, or doing something you enjoy. Interrupting your practice with small breaks is a great way to improve your study performance. At the end of the day you will be more relaxed and avoid the information overload that can create confusion in your mind.
Naps are not useful: better a good night’s sleep
While studying, sleep is essential. «In the night, the information we capture during the day is consolidated in the repository of memory. Sleep serves to store the concepts learned and allows you to recall them more easily,” he explains Luigi Ferini Strambi, director of the Sleep Medicine Center of the San Raffaele Turro Hospital in Milan. What about afternoon naps? Resting is good, but consolidation of information occurs only during deep sleepwhich is almost never achieved in a 20-30 minute nap.
Obviously, a lot depends on your chronotype, i.e. if you are normal subjects, allodole o gufi. If you have a habit of waking up hours early to review before the exam, be careful because «if an owl subject decides to start studying at 5 or 6 in the morning at that moment he is still in a state of confusion. Waking up early is only advisable for larks» underlines Ferini Strambi. Conversely, “owls” have a better advantage in studying late. The important is never deprive yourself of the right hours of sleep and to interpose a good night’s sleep between the study and the exam: Only in this way will you store the learned information well.
Maturity 2023: eliminate stress at the table
In the days of “crazy and desperate study” lo stress he is an enemy that must be reckoned with, but the important thing is not to succumb to him. A great way to fight tension, for example, is to drink a sugary drink, such as cola and fruit juice. These drinks help reduce anxiety because they lower the levels ofstress hormone, i.e. cortisol (but don’t overdo it, it’s better to be careful with sugar, as we explain in the next tip).
The herbal tea with Korean ginseng and green tea
Regaining concentration in a natural way is also possible by drinking an herbal tea, such as the one recommended by Daniela Giachetti, president of the Italian Society of Phytotherapy. Mix 50 grams of roots of Korean ginseng40 grams of green tea in leaves and 10 grams of rosehip fruits, then pour 150 ml of boiling water over 15 grams of the mixture obtained, equal to a large spoon. Leave to infuse for 20 minutes and then filter. Drinking this herbal tea in the morning on an empty stomach will help you relieve stress and study harder.
Watch out for fats and sugars
Sugars yes, but without exaggerating. Even if during the long days spent at home studying and going over the pantry or the fridge they represent your outlet valve, be careful not to overdo it with snacks or other snacks rich in sugars and fats. As noted one american study from the Oregon State Universityif consumed every day and in large quantities can alter the intestinal bacterial flora. At the expense too brain, which loses elasticity in learning and short-term and long-term memory. So, even if sweets represent a treat and a legitimate break between study hours, be careful not to overdo it otherwise your study will suffer!
Put an extra gear with probiotics
The second largest container of nerve cells, the intestine is considered our “second brain”. For this reason, when you’re in the throes of stress, the best strategy to “calm down” goes right through your belly. No sleeping pills or tranquilizers: to make him “think” it is better to ask for help from bacteria, or rather, probiotics which can help you counteract stress and its consequences. Which probiotics? As you recommend Lorenzo Morellidean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences of the Catholic University of Piacenza, the most effective are the lactobacilli.
These probiotics can be found in different compositions: at the supermarket in dairy-based products such as yogurt that can be consumed daily; or in supplements, which however integrate in higher doses and therefore should not necessarily be taken every day.
Chocolate makes you smarter
Among the many benefits of chocolate for our body, there is one particularly interesting for high school students. Eat dark chocolate regularly at least once a weekIndeed, it can enhance cognitive functions. If you don’t like bitter cocoa, no problem: Australian scientists who conducted the research have also found the positive effect on the brain from milk chocolate and white chocolate.
Coffee: maximum 5 cups a day
For many kids, “studying” automatically means “coffee.” If there isn’t a thick, steaming cup waiting for them next to the books, some students have the impression of not being able to concentrate and commit themselves in the same way. The risk is to overdo it. What’s the limit? The advice is from do not exceed 4 or 5 cups of coffee per day. In particular, according to EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) the maximum daily dosage of caffeine should be 400 mg, equal to 3 cups of Robusta quality espresso and 5 cups of Arabica quality.
Drinking too many energy drinks is risky
It’s true that they give a nice boost to studying and help you concentrate, but it only takes two to alter heart rhythms and raise blood pressure. We are talking about the energy drinkwhich in addition to caffeine and vitamins also contain the taurinean essential amino acid that would stimulate cardiac efficiency and contractility by increasing the blood supply to the myocardium.
According to one american study conducted on some boys who drank an energy drink a day for 6 consecutive days, the increase in blood pressure and the alteration of the heartbeat are effects that persist for two hours after consuming the drink. What is worrying, therefore, are the consequences that these drinks could have if consumed for long periods.