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For a student, examination week and the week leading to it, also known as dead week in student slang, remains the most dreaded part of the academic term. Some students study throughout the year and are always prepared for their exams while some just lose it at the end where it matters the most.
There are those who do nothing as compared to the nerds or even the average students but they still graduate with flying colours. Different students have different ways of preparing for their exams. How they cope with the pressures is also unique for every individual.
The distractions are there … irrelevant things, chores, some unfinished work, new endeavours … all start popping in the head whenever you decide to prepare for your exams. What you can do here is tend to the other things first and get down to revision with a clear mind.
Coffee breaks, craving for chocolates, the desire to sleep, etc., also increase during this time. However, these urges and distractions simply disappear with the handing in of the last exam paper.
The build-up to the finals can itself be taken as a subject. It is not possible to get anywhere in an examination without having studied throughout the academic period. Medical students go through their course books three to six times before their finals. Getting down to serious studies in the last few days prove to be of no significance.
Dr Tuaha Saeed, a recent MBBS graduate, shared that he studied throughout the year. “I systematically cover the easier topics earlier as I have a comfortable grasp over them while leaving the revision of the difficult ones for later so that I can retain and recall these easily during the exams,” he says.
Concept-based studies are easier, according to the young doctor. “The concept, once grasped is never lost. You might lose what you have learned by heart but not the concept,” he points out.
“Being a strict timetable follower, I study in the morning and early afternoons with around three hours’ gap in between. Once I get over with studying slots I have plenty of time for socialising and my hobbies. During the week before an exam, I study in a silent corner of the house. I don’t like going to a library as I am really not a last-minute crash course person. I hardly panic,” he claims with pride.
Abbas, a young Computer Science graduate, who completely disregards learning by heart, says, “It’s all about extracting the essence of the subject. There is no education without understanding. The software engineering field requires its students to be open-minded, innovative and somewhat applicable all the time.”
Abbas favours combined studies and finds it more productive than studying alone, especially in the days leading up to examinations. “I have no poblems explaining to friends and helping the weaker ones in their studies. This works both ways as it helps them get better grades while I myself get away with an automatic revision. It also helps me identify points that I might have missed out before. Also lots of tea and a game of cards after every few hours refreshes our thinking processes.”
Madeha Malik, an MBA student, shares, “I review the entire course before the final week ahead of my exams and divide my time based on a subject’s difficulty level. When there aren’t any gaps between the two papers, I rely on skimming through.”
She adds, “All I need then is some silence, coffee and more coffee. A maximum of 10 hours of studying in the last few days would bag a better grade for me.”
Qazi Furqan, another marketing guru in the making, had a different opinion. “I hang out with friends even on the eve of the exam when it’s already too late to study anyway. You may try cramming everything but one can’t digest the course overnight,” he reasons.
Zain Baig, a bright A-Level student, believes that the last days actually boost his preparation. “Whatever I learn during the dead week remains fresh in my mind during the paper,” he says.
Explaining his final week’s schedule, Zain says, “My study level is usually high and I perform best under pressure.”
The student’s approach to his exams more or less translates into his results. In the words of Mahatama Gandhi, “You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.”
