Gather round boys and girls, ‘tis the season for tears. Exams are upon us, and so are the retched feelings that come with them. Being a high school senior and an IB examinee, I am already done with my internal and external examinations. However, that in no way means that I have forgotten the sleepless nights, nerves, and anxiety…
The IB diploma programme externals tests its students on two years’ worth of work, which doubled the stress. That alone was the reason that I felt so overwhelmed. Although I had been working hard the past two years, retention of all that knowledge – not to mention memorizing it all – was extremely difficult. Those of you who know me also know that I am a chronic procrastinator, like many high school students. My case may be somewhat different however. When I procrastinate, I am aware yet oblivious of the consequences. Aware because I realize what would happen if I do not get to work and oblivious because I choose to engage in other useless tasks. Maybe it’s my way of dealing with the stress, but the results are never pleasant. I have learned things the hard way, and here I have prepared a list of dos and don’ts.
Dos:
– Make a schedule! The minute you get your exam schedule create a corresponding study schedule that you can follow. Study different subjects on the same day as to not get bored and distracted.
– Make a to-do List! Make sure the tasks are as simple, and specific, as possible. Instead of “study for chemistry”, write “study chapter 1 for chemistry” and so on because there’s nothing more satisfying than ticking things off a to-do list.
– Stick to it! Your schedule and to-do list must be part of your lifestyle during the examination period.
– Take a break! Small breaks between chapters or subjects can do more good than harm, as long as they are not too long.
– Listen to music! Not just any music, but classical music which is proven to improve a student’s academic performance. It may not work for all, but you never know unless you try.
Don’ts:
– Eat while studying! When your parasympathetic nervous system directs blood from your brain and muscles to your gut to aid in digestion you will find it harder to concentrate. Trust me on this.
– Study in the dark! Whenever I study in the dark, I get really tired and sleepy. Studying in the right atmosphere is extremely important; I think everyone can relate to this.
– Study when you’re cold! When I am cold, I tend to curl up in a blanket and then get really tired. Again, I think everyone can relate to this.
– Study in a messy room! Our brains pick up on anything, including too much stimuli. A messy room can cause you to lose focus and concentrating becomes slightly harder.
I hope this list helps you. All that’s left for me now as I prepare for college is to practice what I preach.
By Nisma Hamid | @nismahamid
