The 2022 school year is the first since 2019 to require Regents examinations.  Because many underclassmen and juniors who did not take Earth Science or Algebra One in eighth grade have not had the experience of taking a Regents exam, there is a lot of stress currently surrounding these tests.  However, they are not as frightening as students may think.  Here are some tips to pass your Regents exams with flying colors.

One reason Regents are anxiety-inducing is because they cover a whole year’s worth of curriculum.  Oftentimes, students can forget what they learned in quarters one and two by the end of the year.  This is a common struggle, but there are many ways to combat this problem.  A helpful strategy is to keep organized notes and flip through old notes to help jog your memory.  One thing that may help you to pay attention and actually process what you’re reading is by making side notes in a different colored pen.  Writing things down is one of the best ways to remember things. 

“Whenever I’m studying, I always read my notes and then use a different colored pen to write what I’m thinking down on the page.  In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to study,” said senior Michelle Gordon.

Another way to review for the Regents is to do practice tests.  Regents are official New York examinations, so all tests from years past are accessible online.  Seeing the types of questions that will be asked is a useful resource in preparing for test day.  The questions and concepts you see on these old exams are often extremely similar to the questions you will see on the actual test.  Reading the language that New York State uses will also give you an advantage when it comes time to take the exam.  Also, specifically for subjects like math and some sciences, applying what you have learned by doing practice problems is a great way to study. 

“For math finals in the past, I have used old Regents questions to practice my skills.  This really helped me do well and I will definitely do this to prepare for this year’s Regents,” said junior Layla Hershkowitz.

For subjects that are more memorization-based, making Quizlets or physical flashcards is an awesome way to memorize terms and concepts .  Also, there are many premade Quizlets online that you can find for just about anything which are often very helpful.  You can also make a study guide.  Writing things down is one of the most effective ways to learn, but you should not write every single detail of all the lessons since September—just writing the main ideas from each unit can go a long way.

“One of my favorite ways to study is to make study guides with my friends.  Making the pages look aesthetically pleasing while writing things down and actually learning is a simple pleasure,” said junior Alexandra Cascio.

Also, there are many courses and online resources designed to help students excel on Regents exams.  For one, Ace the Regents classes take place in multiple locations on Long Island, and this program and others like it provide a specialized review for any subject.  They can stretch from a shorter, hour-long refresher session to almost a full day run-down of the subject.  Additionally, there are many YouTube channels out there that give crash courses on not only general subjects, but specific topics within them. 

If you are feeling overwhelmingly stressed, there are many easy things you can do to reduce your anxiety before all of your tests.  Give yourself time away from your books and go for a walk, soak up some sun, read a book, or do whatever else makes you feel at ease.  Also, listening to music and connecting with others are very effective ways to feel happier and more clear of stress.

Overall, no matter what type of person you are, there will always be a study method that suits you.  Whether it’s reading over your notes and writing thoughts in the margin, attending a specialized study session, or writing out flashcards, any student can do better on the Regents with a little time and effort.