Exams are an inevitable hurdle all students need to go through, in order to demonstrate our ability to apply the knowledge they have gained throughout the year. That is literally all it is – however for many of us – we think of exams accompanied with much stress, but it really doesn’t have to be that way! Think of it as part of a development process in understanding yourself better; am I easily focused or distracted? How effectively do I grasp knowledge? Do I ask for help when I need it? Does this subject really matter to me? I will be providing some general tips that help me get stay focused and get me through this crucial period.
- Balancing studying individually and with a study buddy: Study buddies are great help, in that you are more likely to find an answer when you’re stuck by asking your study buddy or other collegues. At the same time, when your study buddies approach you for help, it may expose you to new questions but at the least will help you consolidate your knowledge as you communicate with them. It’s a win-win! You may find it more effective to study with one person as opposed to a group, but either way, its helpful to build connections.
- Asking for help when you need it! Email the lecturers when you don’t understand anything or even better book them in for appointments and gather your questions. You are likely to get the most help if you show you have attempted the question properly and present your workings on paper, as opposed to just an abstract question.
- Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize! Exam period is the one time in which you need to think about absolutely nothing but exams! The more you think about exams, the more you’re likely to realize what it means and the importance it holds. Every time you feel like procrastinating, just think about how good a 1:1 would look, how proud it’d make you to know you overcame such a difficult hurdle. Hopefully in life there will be many other opportunities to pursue the other things that are grabbing your attention, such as a series you’re into or a book of some sort.
- Revise as though your exam is the next day, every day! When you feel like procrastinating, take your feelings back to how draining some of those all-nighters in the past made you feel, in wanting to be energized for the exam but also feeling as though not enough effort was previously made and are being compensated for at the night of the exam. I value my sleep a lot, so just a simple reminder for me is usually effective in making me not feel the pleasure of pursing other than my studies at this period.
