Surviving AP Euro

So, AP Euro was a challenge that's for sure. But I really liked how close the class got over the course of the year. We really are like a little family, and I loved staying after together for corrections and studying. I really liked the challenge of the class itself, where it was difficult but not too difficult. I think I'll definitely be prepared for a college history class after I graduate, with out a doubt.
Learning all the material and trying to remember it all was a challenge. It was the worst. And all of the reading was so much, especially when we had to read whole chapters in one night or two nights. It was a lot especially with me having work and other APs. But, I managed and got it done somehow so there's that. It is a lot of work, not gonna lie, but even though it stressed me out so much I definitely think it was worth it. Don't stress too much, because you don't need to! Just be accountable and diligent, and you should be fine.
Improvements for the class- I think we could have used more writing especially with DBQs because I know me and a few other people studied before the exam and were freaking out because we didn't know how to write one. Well, we did, but we felt like we didn't. We went through a few prompts in our study books and realized that we were actually fine with DBQs, but we felt like we haven't done them in forever and were scared. I also think we could have gone through our reading checks as a class a few times, not for every single one, but a few so we could deconstruct the passages and the questions together. I think we could have used a little time with going over how to interpret maps and graphs because that was a little iffy on the exam and some of the reading checks.

TIPS!!!!
- Do your readings. DO NOT try to skip them, skim, or look up summaries online. It will suck for the exam. And the reading checks. Trust me, I tried it a few times and it wasn't good.
- DON'T take long notes!!! Be concise and write the most important things. You don't want your notes to be five pages long. Aim for them being three pages max. It'll be way easier to go back and study them.
- Make sure you grab all dates, names, battles, movements, etc for your notes. Those are the things that are going to be on the reading checks! (Obviously make sure you know what they mean and how they had an impact/connect/whatever)
- Do not procrastinate. Especially if you have other APs, a job, sports, or whatever. Do not procrastinate. Try to get everything done as soon as you get home from school. You don't want to save notes on a whole chapter for the night before, especially when they can be 20-40 page long chapters. Don't do it. You will cry. I promise.
- Don't stress out too much. It may be a lot of work right now, and you might want to cry or quit. But I promise it is worth it. You'll be better off in college and better prepared for the exam. The difficulty now makes it that much easier later.
- Talk to people!!! Have friends and a group of people you can ask questions, study with, complain with, etc.. Its good to study with a few people, especially before the exam. Have a group of three or four people and study together. It will be so helpful.
- Make a timeline!! There's a timeline at the beginning of each chapter. Copy it down. Trust me. A timeline will be helpful for the exam when all you get is a date and a country and you have to figure out from that and an obscure passage what the heck is going on.
- Know your people. ESPECIALLY RUSSIA. Russia is hard. The whole end of Russia, USSR, present Russia stuff. All that period 4 stuff. Know it. And know the people involved and the things they did. I mean that goes for everything, but I know a lot of people struggled with that this year in my class.
- FIND FUNNY VIDEOS AND SONGS- they are so so helpful and funny. I watched like ten of them before the exam, and thank god cause they were funny. I personally enjoyed the Horrible Histories series, there's a bunch on youtube. and there's this song about the soviet union to the tetris theme(?) thats catchy and weird and perfect
- MEMES!!!! Find the memes. They are your best friend. Trust me. If you understand the history memes, you're on the right track. and they're a quick little thing you can look at and hopefully it'll stick with you and you'll remember whatever it is.
- I would also make a chart of all your monarchs at some point. They all have the same names, its confusing. MAKE A CHART OR YOU WILL DIE WHEN THEY ASK YOU ABOUT HENRY AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH HENRY IT IS AND IF HES FROM FRANCE OR ENGLAND. Trust me.
- DONT STRESS TO MUCH!! IT'LL BE WORTH IT AND YOU WILL DO AMAZING ON THE EXAM!!! Just stay focused, on top of things, don't procrastinate, keep organized, and you will be golden.

Have Fun!!! (It is worth it, I promise)