And every semester greets the groundhog! What didn’t we plan to do at the beginning of the semester? This time everything will be different. We prepare the lectures and write everything down right away so that we only have to memorize before the exam.
But now it’s only THREE weeks until the exam and we haven’t done anything, nothing at all, for the university! What can we do now so that we don’t have to repeat the semester after all?
Step 1: Don’t Panic – Accept The Challenge
Of course, you planned to do it differently this time, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out. Instead of thinking about how it happened, focus on the current situation and make the best of it. Only after the exam period think about why you were so late with your studies again and how it will finally get better next semester.
It might also be useful if you could delegate some of your written assignments while you are preparing to special services, like an essay writing service. This way you will have more time for preparation and will also not miss the deadline on your essay for another subject. A win-win scenario.
Step 2: Inventory
Can I still realistically study for all the exams or do I prefer to postpone one or the other exam? It can make a lot of sense to reduce the number of tests if the amount of material is too large.
“Yeah, but then I’ll fall behind on my schedule,” you reply. All I can say to that is, “if you study a little for all the exams, you probably won’t pass any of them and you’ll have to repeat the whole semester. That would be the total super meltdown! Rather concentrate on what is feasible.”
Step 3: Full Focus
I tried to shut down all other distractions during my exam time. I’ve withdrawn from my clubs for several weeks, moved tax returns and regular doctor’s appointments to after exams and yes, it sounds harsh, but I’ve also slowed down my social media activities.
The only thing I haven’t shut down is contact with friends, you need them as a balance. When you have full focus, you’re good to go.
Step 4: Old Exams
Before you start studying, look at the old exams. You might find patterns, recurring tasks, or topics that were asked very frequently. Every professor has their favorite questions.
When you start learning, you already know which areas are more important and what typical exam questions look like. You can adjust your preparation accordingly.
Step 5: Learn Longer
Don’t you wish you could concentrate all day to learn everything in the shortest possible time? Somehow that doesn’t work, you often get tired quickly and are glad not to bump into the window in the afternoon when you come out of the library.
Maybe you made a crucial mistake there. You didn’t take a proper break. Your brain works at full speed when learning and it also needs breaks. Five minutes every 45 minutes and after 90 minutes at least a quarter of an hour.
But make sure that you spare your brain during this time. Scrolling through Facebook and Instagram is extremely taxing on your brain as it is flooded with too much information. So, it’s better to go out into the fresh air, eat something small, or chat with friends.
Step 6: Don’t Forget The Vitamins
You are under time pressure and your body switches to maximum performance. If you want to keep this up for several weeks, Ronald McDonald shouldn’t become your friend. It would be reckless to feed your brain nutrient-poor fast food when you want to push it to the limit.
Step 7: Believe In Yourself!
The last point is also the most important. You sit in front of the stapler and tell yourself all the time that there is not enough time. Well, then you won’t make it either. If you don’t believe you can do it, then you won’t either. So, believe in yourself, we stand behind you, and keep our fingers crossed.
To Sum Up
Of course, it’s bad starting to learn at the last minute before the exam. But if you are already in such a situation these simple tips, we have presented to you, might be really useful and will get you through the hard times. Try to use all of them, only this way you will be able to achieve success in the upcoming exam.
