5 Tips to Conquer Exams
THAT dreadful time of the year is approaching again, but before you freak out, have a look at Sean Foo’s tips for surviving exams with your sanity intact.
Photo: Lester Public Library via Flickr
Students in universities are bracing themselves for sleepless nights and endless hours devoted to conquering concepts and readings designed to torture their brain cells. Sleep becomes every student’s worst nightmare as daily battles are being waged against this highly formidable enemy.
If you are still confused as to what I am talking about, I am referring to that dreadful thing known simply as… exams!
The word exams alone is enough to induce a panic attack. But fret not. All hope is not lost! Although conquering exams is an arduous task, it’s not impossible and there are strategies you can employ.
1. Head to the library
Forget your university friends. The best friend you can possibly have during the exam period is the library! If I choose to study at home, I will spend endless hours watching random YouTube videos with talking oranges or adorable cats and hating myself for it by the end of the day.
The library prevents me from doing that as engaging in non-academic activities on library computers is a foolproof way to attract killer glares from stressed out students looking for a seat.
So if you find yourself constantly wasting an entire day doing everything except studying, it’s time to befriend the library! You might even be rewarded with a few eye candies!
2. Take 10 minute naps
Battling the strong desire to sleep is something almost every student can identify with. The extremely boring content you are forced to study certainly doesn’t improve matters.
One way around this is to take a 10-minute power nap. Short naps greatly increase alertness and performance without causing sleep inertia. Just be careful not to let your 10-minute nap turn into a sleeping session of several hours!
3. Make a timetable
A wise man once said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”, and I cannot agree more. Making a timetable and sticking to it is half the battle won.
It is important not to make one that is unrealistic and overly demanding though. By doing so, you can lose heart and be tempted to give up on the exams altogether!
4. Take a break every now and then
All work and no play makes anyone go cray cray. Exam time is a stressful period and taking a break every now and then is a good way to alleviate some stress.
Walk your dog, watch a sitcom or go out for a meal with your friends. Alternatively, play some Candy Crush and send your desperate friends some lives. It’s a good way of getting some karma points for your exams!
5. Always stay optimistic
Having the right attitude is key to success in life. No matter how desperate the situation seems, never ever give up without putting up a fight. If you really did screw up your exams, take comfort in the fact that you probably won’t have to deal with the repercussions until several weeks later!