By Vivian Kerr – Grockit instructor
Let’s face it: studying for the ACT can be stressful! Besides worrying about good ACT scores, you have to carve out time for filling out college applications, writing personal statements, researching college scholarships, and making sure you’ve got all your college requirements in place. No wonder so many ACT students find themselves lying awake at night, worrying that bad ACT scores will prevent them from getting accepted into their dream college! Here are ten ways to refocus your ACT prep and get better ACT scores on Test Day!
1. Focus on your progress. Look back at where you were just a week ago in your ACT test prep, and see how far you’ve come! No one can train to run a marathon is 2 weeks! Noticing and remarking upon your steady progress studying for the ACT will lift your spirits and encourage you to keep going!
2. Set a routine. We are creatures of habit. You need to make sure you have a set schedule for studying and non-studying. Try to keep this balanced routine the same in the weeks leading up to the ACT test day. Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day.
3. Remove electronic devices from the bedroom before sleep. Any kind of artificial light or sound can interfere with sleep and make your anxiety level shoot up. Move your cell phone, laptop, and any other gadgets to the next room pre-bedtime and don’t use them on you bed if you can help it!
4. Use ear plugs to fall asleep. When you have them in, you can listen to your heartbeat. It's like being back in the womb!
5. Remove any artificial light. If you have traffic lights or street lamps shining in through your windows cover them up with a large blanket. Try to make your bedroom pitch-black. You might even need to get a sleeping mask.
6. Take stretch breaks. Lie on the floor breathing in and out. Slowly stretch your neck from side to side. As you breathe in and out notice your spine relaxing into the floor and all the tension leaving your body.
3. Remove electronic devices from the bedroom before sleep. Any kind of artificial light or sound can interfere with sleep and make your anxiety level shoot up. Move your cell phone, laptop, and any other gadgets to the next room pre-bedtime and don’t use them on you bed if you can help it!
4. Use ear plugs to fall asleep. When you have them in, you can listen to your heartbeat. It's like being back in the womb!
5. Remove any artificial light. If you have traffic lights or street lamps shining in through your windows cover them up with a large blanket. Try to make your bedroom pitch-black. You might even need to get a sleeping mask.
6. Take stretch breaks. Lie on the floor breathing in and out. Slowly stretch your neck from side to side. As you breathe in and out notice your spine relaxing into the floor and all the tension leaving your body.
7. Get a professional massage. A little pricier-- but a nice splurge the day before an exam!
8. Don’t leave your studying to the last minute! A surefire way to feel stress is to procrastinate. Give yourself a reasonable amount of time, at least 2-3 months, to adequately prepare for the ACT.
9. Making studying social. Work in ACT study groups with friends. Compare strengths and weaknesses, and do drills together from the same book. Explain the correct answers to each other. This will help relieve stress and you’ll find yourself studying in longer chunks!
10. Write some mantras! A mantra is an empowering message that you repeat to focus your energy on positive thoughts. Choose 3 and write them on pieces of paper. Put them above your desk, inside your locker, in a notebook, or anywhere else where you’ll see them throughout your day. Some good examples might be: “I am making excellent progress on the ACT!” “I am going to do well on the ACT!” or “I am learning the ACT concepts quickly and easily!”
