So here we are. The semester is over, the midterms and essays have been written, and the all-nighters have been had, sort of. Exam season is a special time here at UTM and much like Halloween, it brings out the zombie in all of us. Here are 10 things I know to be true about exam season.
1) Sleep goes out the window.
We think we’ll get more work done if we just take an extra hour to review something or finish an assignment, but this is definitely not the case.
It’s November. Do you ever feel like you just need more time to just get everything done? Whether it’s trying to find a balance between sleep and study schedules or buying a coffee before or after lectures, we are always on the go!
Let’s take a look at a UTM student’s typical schedule for this time of year, shall we?
6 a.m: Trying to pull yourself together from studying all night… Can I just wear sweats to school every day?
7 a.m: You are already late for those buses you were supposed to catch over an hour ago—if you’re lucky, you should make it in time for that 9 a.m. bio lecture.
8 a.m: Either you will find yourself making notes on the bus or falling asleep and missing your stop/transfer.
9 a.m: You have to run from the bus stop at Davis all the way to class on the third floor of IB. Good luck!
10 a.m: Phew! Class is over and you have a small break until the next class.
11 a.m: Decisions, decisions! Should I study in the library or eat something at the CCT café?
12 p.m: Eating in silent study and watching Netflix always seems like a good idea!
1 p.m: Lectures, lectures, and more lectures…
6 p.m: Time to go home! Maybe if you’re lucky, you will get a ride—otherwise, get ready to push your way onto the 110 to Square One.
8 p.m: Eating dinner and writing essays is the best way to spend those long nights.
10 p.m: Time for a quick Facebook break.
12 a.m: “Oh snap, I’m still not done the assignment due at 9 a.m., and I’ve wasted so much time on social media!”
3 a.m: After 10 cups of coffee, the assignment is finished! Now to catch a few minutes of sleep before I have to do that all over again. 😛
My Midterm Mantra: “This is nothing in the grand scheme of things.”
A lot of the time, it’s easy to think that a certain test or assignment will define your education. But it’s important to remember that one bad test will not change who you are or drastically change your life. During midterms, I put in 100% effort, but what I see on the faces of my fellow students is, for the most part, not determination or the acceptance that their best is going to be good enough. What I see instead is usually a mix of fear, stress, and anxiety. Remember that that all-important test or assignment is not what defines your education. Celebrate your successes and learn from your failures. Because really, in the grand scheme of things, that test is a miniscule challenge on one day of one month of one year, and you will get past it.
Let’s get down to something that’s going to drive us all crazy this coming month: exams. I can already hear terrified shrieks as some of you merely read the word. All-nighters, pervasive coffee breath, and complete disregard for physical appearance are only some of the symptoms of this dreadful epidemic. From what I’ve mentioned so far, it’s apparent that exams can cause a fair amount of panic, be it from testophobia (yes, that’s actually the word for it) or last minute work. So let’s talk about tackling exam stress and avoiding a freak situation at the eleventh hour.
Exams. Everyone hates writing them, and by the time you’ve been writing nonstop for an hour, you just want to finish. But, you can’t… because now you’re stuck on this one question that you can’t seem to conquer.
Don’t you just hate that?
When you’re stuck on an exam question, it’s either because:
1) You haven’t studied enough.
2) You studied too much all at once that your brain is now fried.
3) You’re so overwhelmed that you don’t know where to start.
4) Writing in the RAWC Gym terrifies you.
5) You’re sleep deprived.
Or
6) The question is just wack.
And if you’re writing your exam in the RAWC Gym, it certainly doesn’t help that the scoreboard is counting down the minutes until the exam is done.
Now, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and don’t be afraid to clear your mind. Everything you’ve studied will come flooding back.
Guess what guys? Exam time is approaching, AKA the few weeks in every semester full of sadness, stress, and snacks. Lots and lots of snacks. Like, mountains of cookies and Pepsi and coffee, all so we can hopefully pass our classes and our essays and, after it’s over, sleep and enjoy our short break.
But, before you get to the partying and the sleeping and the holiday cheer, you have to get through those exams. But how? Well, my stressed out friend, let me help you with that.