Reading time: 4 minutes
We are students. Before every assignment and exam, we say the same thing: “I’ll do better next semester.” Then the next semester arrives, and we do the exact same thing and make the same study mistakes! If that sounds familiar, consider this a gentle reminder from one student to another: we can break the cycle. Here are five common study mistakes and what to do instead.
Exam season is coming. Here’s how to be ready.
1. Passive rereading
Growing up, we learnt that the more you read, the more you learn. We took that to mean rereading the same material again and again. But rereading can make material feel familiar without helping you remember it.
Try this instead:
- Close your notes and write down everything you remember
- Use your tutor’s practice questions
- Ask AI to quiz you on your unit content
- Recall a concept from memory, out loud, in your head, or to a friend before checking your notes
Whatever the material, retrieval method, or type of final assessment, the evidence is clear: testing yourself helps you remember more than studying again (Karpicke 2017).
2. Cramming
Cramming is the best friend of many students. But does it work? Evidence suggests that information packed into a short window is forgotten quickly, while spaced study is better for lasting retention (Mawson and Kang 2025).
Try this instead:
- Mark your assessment dates in your calendar early
- Break your study into short sessions across several weeks
- Plan your week around your study, so you don’t have to cram it all in at the end
3. All-nighters
Who hasn’t pulled an all-nighter at least once? It’s a core student experience. We delay studying, then stay up all night before the exam. But is it helping? Research says no!
Sleep plays a key role in storing what you’ve learnt, and a tired brain struggles to recall and think clearly. One review found that after 36 hours without sleep, equivalent to pulling an all-nighter, memory retention dropped to just 40% of normal (Seoane et al. 2020).
Try this instead:
- Plan backwards from your exam date
- Set a “finish studying” time each night
- Prioritise sleep, especially the night before the exam
4. Overplanning
A colour-coded study plan or detailed Google Calendar booking gives a nice dopamine hit. But a plan that never gets followed has no value. Research backs this up: good intentions on their own only modestly predict what people do (Gollwitzer 1999). Life is also unpredictable, so your plan needs room to flex.
Try this instead:
- Keep your plan simple
- Leave buffer time for the unexpected
- Treat your plan as a guide, not a rule, and adjust when needed
5. Ignoring practice
Many of us spend so much time building a foundation through reading that we run out of time to practise. But practice questions make your brain work, which is far more effective than passive rereading (Moreira et al. 2019; Corral and Carpenter 2025).
Try this instead:
- Do past papers or practice questions under timed conditions
- Review your mistakes and work out why you made them
- Do a little practice after each study session, not just at the end
I see so many students in the TL Robertson Library cramming or pulling all-nighters right before an exam. But what is our goal? To learn, to understand, and to grow, both personally and professionally. If we want to retain information, we have to plan ahead and make strategic decisions.
Ready to get started? Visit the Curtin Library, UniSkills, attend an upcoming Library Workshop, or book a Peer Academic Mentoring session to build your study plan, learn study strategies, and explore resources.
Written by Noshin Tasneem, Peer Academic Mentor
References
Karpicke, Jeffrey D. 2017. “Retrieval-Based Learning: A Decade of Progress.” In Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference, edited by John H. Byrne, 2nd ed., vol. 2, 487-514. Oxford: Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809324-5.21055-9.
Mawson, Rhys D., and Sean H. K. Kang. 2025. “The Distributed Practice Effect on Classroom Learning: A Meta-Analytic Review of Applied Research.” Behavioral Sciences 15 (6): 771. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/6/771.
Seoane, Hernan A., Leandra Moschetto, Francisco Orliacq, Josefina Orliacq, Ezequiel Serrano, María Inés Cazenave, Daniel E. Vigo, and Santiago Perez-Lloret. 2020. “Sleep Disruption in Medicine Students and Its Relationship with Impaired Academic Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sleep Medicine Reviews 53: 101333.
Gollwitzer, Peter M. 1999. “Implementation Intentions: Strong Effects of Simple Plans.” American Psychologist 54 (7): 493–503. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493.
Corral, Daniel, and Shana K. Carpenter. 2025. “Effects of Retrieval Practice on Retention and Application of Complex Educational Concepts.” Learning and Instruction 100: 102219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102219.
Moreira, Bruna Fernanda Tolentino, Tatiana Salazar Silva Pinto, Daniela Siqueira Veloso Starling, and Antônio Jaeger. 2019. “Retrieval Practice in Classroom Settings: A Review of Applied Research.” Frontiers in Education 4: article 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00005.
