Aimee Mullins: a breakthrough story

Aimee Mullins initially received international attention as an athlete in media. Born without fibulae in both legs, Aimee’s medical prognosis was bleak; she would never walk and would spend the rest of her life on a wheelchair. Therefore, the doctors amputated both her legs below the knee on her first birthday.

By age two, she had learned to walk on prosthetic legs, and spent her childhood doing the usual athletic activities of her friends: soccer, softball, skiing and swimming, always alongside “able-bodied” kids.

After graduating high school with honors degree, Aimee received an scholarship from the Department of Defense, and at age 17 became the youngest person to hold a top-secret security clearance at the Pentagon, where she worked as an analyst during summer breaks.

Although she was always an athlete, but her love of competitive sports raised during college and she set her sights on making the US Team for the 1996 Atlanta Games and became the first woman with a “disability” to compete in the NCAA. Outfitted with woven carbon-fiber prostheses that were modeled after the hind legs of a cheetah, she went on to set World Records in the 100 meter, the 200 meter, and the long jump, sparking a frenzy over the radical design of her prototype sprinting legs.
In 1999, Aimee made her runway debut in London at the invitation of one of the world’s most celebrated fashion designers, Alexander McQueen. Walking alongside the supermodels of the world, Aimee’s groundbreaking, triumphant turn captured the attention of the fashion media, propelling her onto the magazine covers of ID and Dazed and Confused. After making her mark in the fashion magazine standards of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, W, Glamour, and Elle, she was also named as one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World.”

Sitting is Killing You

 Extended periods of sitting causes major health problems, from increased risk of obesity and diabetes to cardiovascular disease and cancer. The fact is most of our jobs require extended sitting (behind the desk or the wheel), but we have to leave our seat and take a walk for couple of minutes. When we talk with phone or with friends and colleagues, we can standup and talk. These small changes may have huge positive effects.

10 Best Food Sources of Antioxidants

Although scientists didn’t realize their significance until relatively recently, antioxidants are now thought to be important dietary nutrients. So, what are antioxidants, exactly? They’re substances in food which prevent damage to your body’s cells and tissues caused by free radicals. It’s important to keep free radicals in check, as they may contribute to aging, cancer and chronic diseases such as heart disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Certain vitamins, such as A, C, and E have antioxidant properties, as do bioflavonoids – free radical-fighting chemicals naturally present in certain plants. In general, fruits and vegetables are great sources of these substances. There are various methods of calculating the antioxidant value of foods, one of which is the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) assay, used by the USDA. Health officials currently recommend consuming about 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units per day.

1. Spices

Bland food lovers, beware! When measured by weight, spices are the richest source of antioxidants. The type of spice with the greatest antioxidant capacity is cloves, with an exceptional ORAC value of almost 300,000 units. (Note, however, that ORAC value is calculated per 100 grams – please don’t try to eat 100 grams of cloves just for the antioxidants!) Other especially antioxidant-rich spices include oregano, rosemary, turmeric, thyme, cinnamon, sage and vanilla.

2. Chocolate

Bet you’re not too sad to hear that chocolate is an antioxidant super-food! Keep in mind, though, that the more processed chocolate is, the less antioxidants it typically contains. Pure, unsweetened cocoa powder and baking chocolate both have phenomenal ORAC values of around 50,000, and dark chocolate candies can range in the 20,000s. Steer clear of milk chocolate, which possesses a far weaker antioxidant power (and also contains a lot more fat and sugar than dark chocolate).

3. Coffee

Coffee is another great source of antioxidants, with an ORAC value ranging from about 15,000 to 17,000, depending on brew time, type of bean and other factors. While the ORAC value of coffee is considerably less than those of spices and pure cocoa, consider that in terms of volume, we consume a lot more coffee than we do spices. In fact, based on a University of Scranton study published in 2005, coffee is the top source of antioxidants in the average American’s diet.

4. Berries

When it comes to fresh fruit, berries are the richest source of antioxidants. The Himalayan goji berry and the tropical Acai berry top the list with respective ORAC values of about 25,000 and 18,500, although less-exotic berries like raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are also excellent sources of antioxidants. Other antioxidant-rich berries include elderberries, chokeberries, cranberries and strawberries.

5. Nuts

Nuts are jam-packed with antioxidants, while also providing protein, fiber and healthy fats. Pecans are the best source of antioxidants among nuts, with an ORAC value of close to 18,000. Walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios and almonds also have ORAC values in the multi-thousands.

6. Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a highly concentrated source of antioxidants by weight since the fruit’s water content has been removed. The dried fruits with the strongest antioxidant effects include raisins (dried grapes), with an ORAC value topping 10,000, and prunes (dried plums), which clock in at around 8,000. Dried figs, dates, apples, peaches and pears also pack a powerful antioxidant punch.

7. Fruit Juice

Like dried fruit, fruit juice is another super-concentrated source of antioxidants. Berry juices are the best, with the ORAC value of black raspberry juice, for example, coming in at around 10,000. Pomegranate juice, cherry juice and grape juice also have high ORAC values.

8. Cooked Vegetables

Cooked vegetables also make the top ten list of antioxidant-rich foods, with special emphasis on artichokes, red cabbage, red leaf lettuce, asparagus, spinach and broccoli. USDA researchers recently discovered that artichokes actually contain more antioxidants than any other cooked veggie, providing about 9,400 ORAC units.

9. Beans

Kidney beans and black beans are the best sources of antioxidants in the beans-and-legumes family, offering up ORAC values in the 8,000s. Pinto beans, lentils, and soybeans are terrific sources of antioxidants as well. Like nuts, beans also provide filling protein and fiber, making them a great weight loss food.

10. Colorful Fruits

In general, deeply pigmented fruits and vegetables have higher antioxidant capacities than less vibrant-looking produce (such as white potatoes, for example), as the protective bioflavonoids in plants are what supply them with rich colors. In addition to berries, other dark-colored fruits like pomegranate, plums, red apples, dark grapes and cherries are high in antioxidants (cherries have an ORAC vale of 4,700), as are brightly-colored fruits like guava and oranges.

Getting the Most from Your Workouts

You’ve invested in attractive workout clothes and a pricey a gym membership across town. You drive to the gym with every intention of clocking in a 30-minute jog on the treadmill. But after only 10 minutes, you’re huffing and puffing and you feel like your heart is about to explode. Dripping with sweat already, you slow to a walk and realize you’re starving and that your legs are killing you. After walking for another ten minutes, you decide to call it a day. You splurge on Chinese food on the way home (egg rolls are vegetables, right?), and after finishing you’re fortune cookie, it dawns on you that you’re probably in worse shape than you were before you went to the gym. After doing this routine another several times, you realize you’re not getting any results (or a new game comes out for Xbox 360), and you eventually stop working out altogether for awhile.
Sound familiar? We’ve all been there. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With just a little planning and focus, your workouts can be a lot more productive. Follow these exercise hacks for a smarter, faster, and ultimately more rewarding workout.

Pay Attention to Pre-Workout Nutrition

A lot of people think that if they go to the gym “on empty” they’ll burn fat instead of the food they just ate. Wrong. To perform well, your muscles need glucose, which comes from carbohydrates. When you work out with low glucose levels, a.k.a. low blood sugar, you fatigue quicker and aren’t able to perform at your full potential. Even worse, you’re ravenous by the time you finish your workout and end up eating a huge meal or binging on snack food when you get home. To make sure you have adequate fuel to perform well at the gym and not feel faint with hunger on the drive home, eat a snack beforehand. Good pre-workout foods include complex carbohydrates, such as fruit, cereal, or whole grain crackers. Complex carbs release a steady flow of glucose into your bloodstream over several hours. (Simple carbohydrates like candy and soda will cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, followed by a crash which might occur before your workout is over.) You also want to make sure you’re adequately hydrated before and during exercise by drinking plenty of fluids (more on that later).

Ramp Up the Intensity of Your Weights Routine

One of the main reasons people don’t see fitness results in terms of weight loss and muscle definition is that they don’t strength train at a sufficient intensity, or else they neglect strength training altogether. Strength training, i.e., resistance exercises using free weights, weight machines or bodyweight, is essential for building up your major muscle groups – your body’s main engine for burning calories. The more developed your muscles are, the more calories you’ll burn, even while you’re at rest. Strength training will also help your cardio, as your muscles won’t tire as quickly.
Your biggest muscle groups are the ones in your legs, chest, back, arms and core, so it’s important to train these muscles at least once a week. To build your muscles, intensity is key. Whether you’re working with free weights or using a machine, you should use enough resistance so that you’re only able to do 8 to 12 reps. Each set should be completed to the point of failure, meaning that you should struggle against the final rep (which you shouldn’t be able to complete). Many people spend half an hour on one machine, doing multiple, relatively easy sets. This is counterproductive. You’ll get better results by doing only one good set per muscle group (hamstrings, glutes, pecs, biceps, abs, etc.), per week. This means you’ll be spending less time at the gym in total. Give your muscles at least a day’s rest before working them out again. Depending on what kind of cardio you do, this may mean scheduling cardio on a different day than strength training (you shouldn’t run for a half-hour after working out your leg muscles, for example). Talk to a personal trainer or fitness coach to learn proper technique and to develop a strength training routine that works for you.

Stay Cool

Although resistance training is paramount for losing weight and developing a toned appearance, getting cardiovascular exercise like jogging, aerobics or biking at least 2 to 3 times per week is important for building endurance and for maintaining good overall health. However, it can be difficult to keep your heart rate up for a sufficient period of time required for a good cardio workout, as we often tire early and have to slow down or stop. A main reason why many people burn out half-way into their cardio set is that they overheat. Like hunger or pain, a high body temperature makes your workout difficult and unpleasant, causing you to tire sooner than you would if you felt cooler. In extreme circumstances, such as exercising in heavy clothes or in the hot sun, you even risk heat sickness and dehydration. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to prevent overheating during aerobic exercise and thereby get a better cardio workout.
First, wear breathable, lightweight workout clothes. Ditch the cotton tee-shirt, which easily gets weighed down with sweat and traps heat, for high-tech fabrics that wick sweat from your skin to keep you cool. Have plenty of cold water on-hand during your workout and try not to exercise in very hot conditions. Finally, choose a pace/resistance level that’s moderate enough so that you can keep going at the same intensity for least 20 the 30 minutes to get important heart-health and endurance benefits.

Plan Your Post-Workout Meals

Even if you plan to eat healthy after your workout, the powerful appetite you work up from strenuous physical activity can tempt you to load up on calories once you get home, potentially undoing much of that day’s fitness progress. In order to prevent this phenomenon, have your healthy, delicious post-workout meal all planned out before you go to the gym. This way, you won’t be tempted to pick up some takeout on the way home or binge on the potato chips in the cupboard. A good post-workout meal doesn’t have to consist of just a sad, little salad; it should be one that satisfies your hunger. Focus on foods with protein and fiber, as these nutrients help fill you up for less calories. Avoid foods with unhealthy saturated fat such as fried foods and fatty cuts of red meat, in favor of foods with healthy fats, such as fish, nuts and avocadoes. Other healthy foods to include in your post-workout meal (and for your other meals and snacks) include non-fat dairy products, beans, your favorite fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.
Of course, everyone splurges on less-than-healthy treats like ice cream or pepperoni pizza sometimes. But having an occasional treat isn’t a big deal if you’re dedicated to your regular fitness routine. Which brings us to our final exercise hack …

Track Your Progress for Long-Term Success

The most important component of fitness is sticking with your exercise routine over time. If you let yourself be swayed by excuses like “I have too much going on today” or “I deserve a break because I had a bad day,” then you’ll quickly get sidetracked from your routine and lose whatever progress you’ve achieved. Keep in mind that as mentioned in the above tips, with an efficient routine, you won’t even have to spend that much time in the gym to get a good workout. You can also modify your workout so that you can do bodyweight exercises at home on days that you’re unable to get to the gym.
A daily or weekly exercise log in which you document your workout stats (including which exercises you did on which day, how much resistance you used, how many reps, etc.) is a great tool to help you stay on track with your fitness goals and chart your progress. Over time, you should be able to handle progressively more resistance in your strength training routine and also improve your cardio performance. It is very motivating to see your progress in black and white, and as this happens, you should notice positive changes in your body and mood as well. Don’t think of exercise as a chore; think of it as an important part of your life, a gift that helps you look and feel your best.

Buying Organic: When Is It Worth It?

You’ve probably heard that buying organic is better for your health and for the environment. Generally, both of these statements are probably true. USDA-certified organic foods are grown free of pesticides, hormones, and other substances and farming practices that may harm your health – while also polluting the world we live in. However, organic foods are also usually sold at a hefty premium to their “regular” counterparts, and certain foods don’t necessarily need to be purchased organic because they carry little risk of contamination. Use this guide to determine which foods you should buy organic, if possible, and which ones are safe to buy “regular.”

Buy Organic…

Animal products – This category includes both meat and dairy. Unlike animals used to produce organic meat and dairy, non-organic meat and dairy animals are commonly fed growth hormones and are administered antibiotics to protect their meat, milk and eggs from infection caused by the animals’ crowded, squalid living conditions. In addition to the potential risks of consuming animal products laden with antibiotics and hormones, there are also concerns that the overuse of antibiotics in factory farming may lead to drug-resistant bacteria strains, such as the mad cow disease outbreak of the 1990s. It’s best to protect yourself from these risks by buying organic meat (including chicken), milk and eggs.
Peppers, celery, potatoes and leafy greens – These vegetables have tested especially high for pesticide residues in government tests. USDA tests found over 60 kinds of pesticides on non-organic, U.S.-grown celery harvested in 2010, close to 50 different pesticides on sweet bell peppers, and over 30 pesticides on potatoes (not including sweet potatoes, which are on the “safe” list). Besides just sweet bell peppers, peppers in general are prone to higher pesticide contamination levels as they readily absorb pesticides through their skin. Green, leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, kale and collard greens also commonly contain high levels of pesticide residues, as farmers regularly douse the leaves of these crops with potent pesticides to keep the pests at bay.
Apples, peaches, nectarines, grapes and berries – Tree fruits like apples, peaches, cherries and nectarines often have high levels of pesticide contamination as these fruits have thin, absorbent skins that do little to them from the various chemicals that farmers spray orchards with to ward off fungus and insect threats. Ground-grown fruits like grapes and berries also commonly contain high levels of pesticides – the USDA has identified close to 60 different pesticides on strawberries alone. Remember that products made with grapes, such as raisins, grape juice and wine (more on wine below) may also contain pesticide residues and should be purchased organic when feasible.
Baby food – Because it is made of condensed foods, baby food will contain intensified levels of any toxin found in the produce or animals used to make it. Moreover, infants and toddlers are especially vulnerable to the effects of pesticides, antibiotics and other chemicals due to their small body size. Toxin exposure during certain stages of a child’s development may also cause brain damage and other developmental problems. For these reasons, it is also a good idea to eat organic when you are pregnant to minimize your baby’s exposure to harmful chemicals in the womb.
Coffee, chocolate and wine – Some of the foods that contain the most pesticides are also some of the most addictive. Coffee beans, for example, are often imported from countries with lax laws on pesticide use, so buying organic coffee is pretty important – especially if you drink it every day. Most organic coffee also carries a “Fair Trade Practices” label, which means that the people who grew the beans were paid and treated fairly. The above statements also apply to chocolate, whose raw ingredients (cocoa beans) are also grown in countries with less-stringent pesticide and labor regulations than the U.S. Lastly, if you drink wine, buying organic will help protect you from the many pesticides used on grape crops. Note that the label of some wines will say “Made with organic grapes” rather than declaring the entire product certified organic, as sulfites are often added to otherwise organic wines for preservation purposes.

Use Your Own Discretion With…

Carrots and cauliflower, and out-of-season fruit – Cauliflower and carrots have so-so rankings when it comes to pesticide residue levels, so whether or not you buy these items organic may depend on how often you eat them or how careful you are about pesticide exposure. Like coffee and cocoa beans, out-of-season fruit is often (though not always) grown in places outside the U.S. that do not have stringent pesticide regulations.

Buy “Regular”…

• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cantaloupe
• Corn
• Eggplant
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Papaya
• Pineapple
• Sweet Peas
• Sweet Potatoes

It is generally safe to consume the non-organic versions of the above fruits and veggies because they are protected from pesticide exposure, thanks to either their thick peel or by the lack of pesticides used to grow them.

Other Things to Consider…

Although it won’t necessarily benefit your health, there is an argument to be made for buying everything organic. Buying organic supports local farmers, sustainable farming practices, and animal welfare. Many people also prefer the taste of organic produce to that of non-organic fruits and vegetables.
And yet another thing to consider is that even non-organic foods are regulated by the USDA for safety, and contain chemical levels that the government agency deems safe for human consumption. Nevertheless, the long-term effects of pesticide exposure are not fully known, and as mentioned above, even small amounts of toxins can be dangerous for babies and pregnant women. When it comes to vitamin and mineral content, the jury is still out on whether organic food is more nutritious. Finally, consider that the health advantages of eating more fruits and vegetables in general, even if the produce isn’t grown with organic practices, are likely greater than the harm caused by trace pesticide exposure.

What to Do About Depression

Although it’s a serious health condition, major depression is widely misunderstood. According to statistics from the National Mental Health Association, 54 percent of people view depression as a personal weakness, while 41 percent of depressed women are too embarrassed to seek help. Despite the social stigma of getting depression treatment, depression can wreak havoc on your personal life, professional life and overall quality of life if left untreated. At its worst, depression can result in suicide. Depression is also a risk factor for coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. If you have symptoms of depression, it’s important to realize that you’re not alone, and to seek out help with the following steps. Your very life may depend on it.
1. Determine Whether You Have Depression
Major depression, a serious mental disorder, is sometimes confused with sadness, a temporary low mood that is a normal reaction to unhappy events in life like the death of a loved one or losing a job. Although these life events can trigger depression in some individuals, most people will, eventually, be able to recover and return to their normal mood-state. If you’re not sure whether you have depression or a temporary case of the blues, make an appointment to talk with your primary care physician.
Your doctor will evaluate you for depression symptoms, some of which may include:
-Feeling sad or having a low or irritable mood most of the time
-Inability to feel pleasure from usual activities
-Feeling worthless, hopeless or guilty
-Frequent thoughts of suicide
-Change in appetite
-Lack of energy
-Trouble sleeping
-Difficulty concentrating
If you’ve experienced any of these symptoms for a period of two weeks or longer, you may be clinically depressed. There are also free self-evaluation tests for depression you can take online, including tests offered by MayoClinic.com and WebMD. However, it’s important to see a trained health professional who can make an official diagnosis. Your doctor can also determine whether your depression symptoms result from a nutritional deficiency or an underlying health problem. A lack of certain nutrients, such as B vitamins or essential minerals, as well as some health problems, including thyroid disorders, may cause depression symptoms in some people.
2. Develop and Stick to a Treatment Plan
If your primary care physician determines you have depression, you’ll likely be referred to a mental health professional—such as a psychiatrist or social worker—who can help you develop a treatment plan. In many cases, your treatment plan may include talking to a therapist once or twice a week. If your depression is moderate or severe, a doctor may prescribe an antidepressant medication, such as a selective serotonin reinuptake inhibitor (SSRI) which works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a mood-related hormone, in your brain. According to MayoClinic.com, a combination of therapy and antidepressant medications is usually the most effective treatment for depression.
Other depression treatments include light therapy—exposing yourself to full-spectrum light for 15 to 30 minutes per day—and group therapy, in which you work through your issues in a group environment. Less commonly, treatment-resistant depression that doesn’t improve with antidepressants may necessitate additional or alternative treatments, such as hospitalization, electroconvulsive therapy, or vagus nerve stimulation.
Whatever your treatment plan for depression, it’s essential that you stick to it and don’t stop taking your medication or stop going to therapy as soon as your symptoms subside. Quitting depression treatment before your doctor deems it safe can result in a return of depression symptoms, and abruptly stopping antidepressant therapy can even cause withdrawal symptoms.
3. Take Care of Yourself
Whether you’re currently receiving treatment for depression or your doctor has determined your symptoms aren’t serious enough to require medication, it’s important to take good care of your health to prevent depression symptoms from developing or returning.
Some important self-care steps for staying depression-free include:
-Exercising regularly (You’ll gain the most benefits by exercising for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week)
-Eating healthy (Avoiding unhealthy foods high in saturated fat and sugar, while focusing on nutritious foods high in vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids, e.g., fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish)
-Getting about eight hours of sleep every night
-Avoiding alcohol and other recreational drugs
-Engaging in positive social interactions with supportive friends and family
-Reducing stress by cutting out stress-inducing obligations, meditating, practicing yoga, journaling or talking to someone about your worries
-Getting some sunlight exposure each day or using a light therapy box
For most people, following the steps outlined above (getting a professional diagnosis, sticking to a treatment plan, and leading a healthy lifestyle) should bring about some reduction in depression symptoms within a matter of weeks. If you’re feeling suicidal and are afraid you might harm yourself, go to the nearest emergency room or hospital.

5 Steps to Help You Study Smarter, Not Harder

Students of all ages can benefit from learning how to best absorb the information they need to know. Whether you’re in high school, college, or just needing to pass a test at work, you can learn to study better so you’re not stuck with a poor score. Even if you’ve never considered yourself a good test-taker, you don’t have to resign yourself to D’s. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of the brain you’ve got.

Step 1: Figure Out the Testing Style

Many teachers will tell you this on the first day of class when going over the syllabus and course expectations, so make sure you show up. Read through the syllabus, too, focusing on assignments, expectations, and especially grading percentages. The syllabus is extremely important, and especially in college classes, this may be the only time your professor informs you of an assignment. Don’t be one of those students who looks at the syllabus on the first day of class and then ignores it for the rest of the semester. If tests are worth 80% of your grade, you want to know about it.
Showing up the first day isn’t the only thing you can do. Many professors are willing to answer questions if you ask. If they don’t tell you, ask if it will be multiple choice. Ask whether the test will come from the PowerPoint slides they showed in class, the textbook, or both. To get even more information, try asking their past students or looking them up on a website such as RateMyProfessors.com Sometimes commenters will give tips about how hard the tests will be or where the test questions are taken from. If the test turns out to be different from what you expected, at the very least, you’ll learn your teacher’s testing style after the first test. Use what you’ve learned to study for the next one.

Step 2: Take Great Notes

Before you can study, you need to take notes. Depending on the class, notes may be all you have to study from, or you may only need to take minor notes to supplement the notes your teacher posted online. If you followed the first step, you should know whether your notes need to be detailed, or whether you just need to write a few words on your handouts to make sure you understand the concepts. At any rate, make sure you take some kind of notes. Even if you already have the information, the simple act of writing something down helps you to remember it.

Step 3: Organize (Your Notes and Your Brain)

Once you know what topics you need to study and you have taken the notes you need for the test, it’s time to get organized. Locate all of the readings, textbooks, and handwritten notes that you will need to use to study, and keep them all in one place, whether it’s a folder on your computer or an actual, physical folder. If you type instead of write, back up your notes. This is especially important if you’re studying over the course of more than one day (your best bet if you want to remember the information after the test is over with). Losing your notes is never good.
Read through all of the material, but don’t focus too hard on cramming it into your brain just yet. Focus on how everything fits together. Make connections between different concepts and figure out how you can group them together. If you find something you don’t understand in your notes, try to find it in your book and add to them. If your notes are messy, disorganized, or contain extra information that you know isn’t going to be on the test, now is the time to rewrite them. Try making a “cheat sheet”: one sheet of notebook paper where you cram all of the important information into 8 ½ by 11 inches (you may use the back if you need). Just don’t cheat with it—it sucks to get expelled. You can write small, but make sure you can read it.

Step 4: Memorize

Memorizing is an obvious step, but how you memorize matters. Don’t just read the same sentence a hundred times until the words start to run together and you no longer know what the word “the” means. Simply cramming a word or phrase into your brain is inefficient. Your brain works better when it understands things, and it also works a bit like a web with millions of different connections between neurons. When you connect an idea to something you already know, you’re more likely to remember it. The more connections, the better.
There are a ton of memory tips you can find online, so you can be creative with this step. Ask yourself questions that you think might be on the test, then answer them out loud or write the answers on a sheet of paper. Create mnemonic devices, make flash cards, or draw pictures. You can find out your learning style here and use your result to help you study. Visual learners may do well with flash cards, whereas auditory learners may want to create a song to go with the concepts, and kinesthetic learners might want to build a model.

Step 5: Stay Calm

On the day of the test, the most important thing is to stay calm. If you finished studying all of the material, you don’t need to cram last minute. You can’t memorize every single detail, but the important thing is that you studied all of the chapters. If you ran out of time the night before, cramming five minutes before the test may help, but most of the time your best bet is to arrive a few minutes early and sit there with your iPod or book until the test is passed out. You’re as ready as you’re ever going to be, so why worry? You’re going to ace it.
Good luck, test takers. Even if you don’t get an A on your next test, the more practice you get, the better your chances are. You don’t have to follow every tip above, either. Try them out, then pick and choose those that work for you. If flash cards aren’t your thing, that’s fine. The important part is learning how your brain works and using it to your advantage. And above all, have confidence in yourself. If you do that, your grades will be rising in no time.