How to Prepare for a Big Test Tomorrow

source

There's a massive test coming up tomorrow and you're scared out of your wits, unsure of how you are going to get up and face the dreaded PSAT. If you think you are going to stay up all night just to study for it, you might want to think again. Here are some of my own tried and true tips on what you should do to prepare for a test, whether it is the PSAT, a midterm or final exam or even a short quiz. 

1. Get a good night's sleep

While it may feel like a good idea that to squeeze that extra bit of information into your already-exploding brain at 4 AM, your brain will not be functioning enough for you to actually absorb the information and remember it tomorrow. In fact, you may end up spending a lot more time trying to memorize the information than you usually would.  

Instead of using sleep time to cram, it is much better to get at least a few hours of sleep (even if it's only 3 or 4 hours). Many times you will find that you will magically remember the information after you wake up! If you pull an all-nighter, you will inevitably crash the day after (maybe even during the test, and we definitely don't want that!)

2. Do some LIGHT bedtime reading

As you near your bedtime, you should start wrapping up your studying. Do not try to memorize entire dictionaries in the minutes before you go to sleep. You should have done that earlier in the day! Instead, skim over your notes, write down the main ideas or things you keep forgetting. Look these over and then turn out the lights! 

3. Breakfast 

The morning of a big test, make sure you eat a healthy breakfast, even if you don't think you can possibly eat because of the butterflies in your stomach. You need energy for your brain to function at the best of its ability so make sure to give it enough nutrients! If you don't eat, you may feel even worse during the test (and maybe even pass out?!)

4. Bring snacks

Speaking of food, you should bring snacks and water to the test. Energy bars and chocolate are good options. During the breaks, make sure to stay hydrated and eat some snacks to keep you going!

5. Make sure you have all the stationery and equipment you need
Be sure you bring everything you need for the test – pencils, pens, erasers, rulers, calculators and so on. It would be a good idea to bring extras of everything, in case your pencil runs out of lead, your pen runs out of ink or someone borrowed your eraser first period and never gave it back in time for the exam. For exams like the PSAT and SAT that allow you to use your calculator, you should bring extra batteries in case your calculator runs out of power half way through the exam. 

5. On the way to the test, read over your notes. 

It is best not to cram information the morning of a big test. Personally, the night before, I like to make a summary sheet (no more than 2 pages) of all the main ideas that I need to know for the test as well as the things I keep forgetting about. In the morning, I look over these notes over breakfast and when I am walking or in the car on my way to the test. Looking over the main concepts reminds me of the other minor details that I may also need to know for the test. 

6. Don't stress or panic. 

This is a biggie! If you start panicking, you will lose your ability to concentrate during the test. To stop being anxious, some people like to listen to music, some people like to walk around, others like to eat. Everyone is different, but do whatever you need to do before the test so you can focus when you go into the room. Be calm and confident! You're going to do amazing! 

Posting Quality Comments

Commenting is a crucial part of blogging. Good comments encourage the blogger to keep writing, lets them know they have an audience and helps people to think more deeply about an issue.

Remember, blogs are places to engage in thoughtful conversations. Be positive and encouraging! You do not necessarily have to agree with the person's point of view, but you should be considerate. This means no swearing, being rude or attacking the other person.

Some guidelines to help clarify the commenting process:

• Comments should be at least 2 to 5 sentences, not less.
• Write comments that add to the conversation. Ask a question. Provide a link that might clarify a point. Copy and paste a passage that interests you then write your comments and questions.
• Read the article. Read all the comments. Be part of the full discussion.
• Use comments to show what you think is important, interesting, controversial, thoughtful.
• Constructive criticism only. Critique the idea, not the person. Respect other people and their opinions and ideas. 
• Use good grammar and spelling.
• Treat people the way you want to be treated.

Some examples of comment starters that you can use include:

• This made me think about...
• I wonder why...
• Your post made me form an opinion about...
• This post is relevant because...
• Your post made me think that we should... 
• I wish I understood why...
• This is important because...
• Another thing to consider is...
• I can relate to this because...
• This makes me think of...
• I discovered...
• I don't understand...
• I was reminded that...
• I found myself wondering... 

Adapted from Help Kids Code and Excellence and Imagination.

Blogging 101: How to Use Blogger

Hello children! And welcome to the big and wonderful world of the Internet which you might start having trouble with leaving soon! Oops, I don't think that's what your parents want to hear, so let's just keep your imminent Internet addiction between us (and the blogosphere) for now.

Anyway, seeing as many of you are new to blogs, Blogger and even emails, I thought I'd do an introductory post about the basics of using Blogger.

First of all, there are two ways to access your blog. The first is through a link (the long string of words that usually ends in .com found in the top bar on your Internet browser). The link to your blog will end with .blogspot.com. The link to Kassy's blog (this blog) is aforappleee.blogspot.com. If you want to read your blog or share it with other people, you will give them the link.

The second way to access your blog is only for you. For example, if you want to write a new post, add a photo or change the layout or colours of your blog, you will go to www.blogger.com, which looks like this:

Enter your email and password and Sign In.

After you sign in, you will see your Blogger Home screen. The top half of the page shows the different blogs you own (you can have different blogs for different things), and the bottom half of your page is a reading list of Blogger blogs you follow.

Now, click on the name of your blog to go to the Overview page, where you will see a left sidebar with many options. To make a new post, click the orange button in the top left corner that says "New Post".

When you make a new post, you can either "Publish", "Save" or "Preview" it by clicking on one of the buttons on the top right corner. If you are working on a piece but want to save it for later, you can click Save. Your work will be saved, just like in Word or Pages. You can come back and find the post under "Posts" in the left sidebar on the Overview page.

If you are working on a post and want to see how it will look on your blog, you can click Preview. Remember, clicking Preview does NOT post your entry to your blog, meaning if someone else goes to your blog, they will not be able to see your post. You have to click Publish to properly post your entry onto your blog so that other people can see and read it.

The other options in the sidebar you need to know are "Posts" and "Template". Clicking on "Posts" will allow you to see and edit all of your blog entries quickly. You can also see your saved drafts here. If you click on "Template", you can customize how your blog looks.

Comment with questions!