by Antonia Salisbury

Opinion Editor 

For those of you who need help studying this AP season, here are five tips to keep you on track and maximize your learning potential.

1. Relocate. Sometimes when you’re studying a change of scenery can help keep you focused. According to the Western Governor’s University, background noise, lighting, and even the smell of where you’re studying can have an impact on your ability to focus. So, using the list of alternative study spots in Los Gatos or your own imagination, find locale that suits your specific needs.
2. Teach your friends. While making study guides or flashcards is a proven way to retain course information for a longer amount of time, one of the best ways to make sure you understand a topic is to teach it to someone else. So, while you’re studying, try and see if you could explain the concepts you’re learning to another classmate, a friends, or even yourself. Truly understanding how a lesson works will make you infinitely more prepared for your test.
3. Take breaks. It is scientifically proven that humans have an incredibly small capacity for concentration. According to the National Library of Medicine, people can only maintain focus on one thing for eight to 12 seconds. So, schedule your studying to allow for breaks after long intervals of studying, but keep in mind that strategically taking breaks must be orchestrated carefully in order to avoid procrastination or the abandonment of studying altogether.
4. Stay calm. There’s nothing worse than wasting your time panicking when you’re crunched for time to study. So, relax before you buckle down with your textbook. Take studying slow and try to do it over the course of multiple days.
5. Actually study. Make sure you’re actually learning the material you need to know. Online distractions such as Facebook, Buzzfeed, and Youtube, will not only take away time from study, but they will override any information you learn from studying.