Alright, so I had this “Introduction to Psychology” exam, the first one, and let me tell you, I was kinda nervous. I mean, psychology? It’s interesting, but there’s a lot to remember.
Getting Started
First thing I did was dig out all my notes. I had a messy pile from lectures, some scribbled stuff from the textbook, and a few online printouts. It was a total mess, to be honest. I spent a good hour just sorting everything into chronological order. That alone made me feel a little more in control.
Making Sense of it All
Next, I tried to figure out what the professor really emphasized during lectures. You know, those things they repeat a million times or get really excited about? Those were my cues. I made a list of those key topics, like the different schools of thought (behaviorism, cognitive, etc.) and some of the big names like Freud and Skinner.
Flashcards!
Then came the flashcard marathon. I’m a big believer in flashcards. I wrote down the terms on one side and the definitions or explanations on the other. I went old-school, using actual index cards. I don’t know, something about physically writing it down helps me remember better than just typing it out.
Practice, Practice
- I read all of text books one by one, and make sure noted every key word.
- I took a practice that the teacher had posted online. That was a wake-up call! I realized I was shaky on some of the research methods stuff, like the difference between correlation and causation. Classic, right?
Review
The night before the exam, I went through my flashcards one last time, focused on the areas I was still struggling with, and tried to get a decent night’s sleep. Easier said than done, of course.
Exam Day
On the exam day, I felt reasonably prepared. Of course, there were a few questions that threw me for a loop, but overall, I think I did okay. I paced myself, read the questions carefully, and didn’t second-guess myself too much.
So, that’s my story of tackling the first psychology exam. It was a bit of a learning curve, but I figured out a study system that worked for me. Now, onto the next one!
