Preparing for Examinations - Guide for Students

This is the time of the year when the broad category of students (irrespective whether he is studying in an International School or in a local Municipal School) have the most difficult time of the year – preparing for the exams.  The pressure is more on students who are appearing for Board and University examinations (SSC, HSC and Graduation examinations).
 

Parents too have a tough time and they shut themselves from all engagements – social functions like parties, marriages, television, travel and vacations.  Their concern is whether their child is preparing well enough for the ensuing examinations.  Parents are feel the pressure and become more jittery than their children.  We will address the parents in the latter part of this article.
 

So dear students, the reality is that your exams are approaching.  Maybe your examination schedule has been announced.  Maybe not.  But irrespective, you will have to face the examinations.  The examination schedule, either favourable or otherwise, will not change your world or the prospect of facing the examination much.  You have to get through to it in any case.
 

So here are some practical tips for you to follow which will lead to success in your examinations:
 

Fear Nothing: Disassociate with your friends who discuss examination fear, who scare you because they are scared. Negative thoughts will cast a very strong influence. No use trying to convince them otherwise. Exams are just a step towards your success so why worry? If your parents or relatives try to scare you, tell them, you have it all planned it out and under control.  Self belief is very important.
 

Whenever, such a discussion comes up, tell them exactly how your academic year has been, what you have already learnt.  Give a few examples.  Such an activity not only assures others but your own confidence will improve and fear will be miles away.
 

You must not only tell, but plan it to be in control.  As one famous quote goes “If you fail to plan, you have planned to fail” and it cannot be more relevant than this.
 

Plan your studies: Prepare a study plan with which you are comfortable. Share it with your parents.  This will have dual effects: You will have taken your parents into confidence and also get feedback.  Second, they will be reassured that you are in the right direction.  Post your study plan on a common wall.  Allow your family to do a status check on your plan.  Don’t get irritated.  The best thing to do is to discuss it over the dining table so that everyone is updated simultaneously.
 

What to Study: Generally, a student must not have any likings or disliking for any subject.  After all, students like you are the toppers so why shouldn’t you? You already know the subjects that you know that you have a lot to catch upon.  Allot more time for them.  Also, take up at least two subjects per day to avoid monotony.  If you find the momentum is going good and have built a good tempo, continue.  Plans should be flexible.
 

You will need more time for practical subjects like Mathematics and Sciences.  This is nothing but a component of planning.
 

Keep time for revisions.  Your studies should get over at least 10 days prior to your exami-nations.  During the last 10 days you must spend time for revisions only.
 

How to Study: There are arguments in favour of, and against studying in a group or in isolation.  There is no fixed formula.  For some, studying alone can be boring and result in loss of motivation. If others in your friend circles, or cousins or neighbours are serious about studies, there is no harm in getting together.  It provides good moral support.  Take time off to discuss questions but not get carried away and deviate from discussions.  What happened in the school classroom is over and should be left there.
 

If you find your study group is not serious and more time is being spent on having fun, discussion sports or television or mobile applications, find another place.  Better still, spend a very small portion of your time studying together and the rest of the time study alone.
 

Ensure that your studying room is free of external sounds, distractions and other disturbances.  Do not lock your room but keep it wide open so that your mother or brother/sister can walk in just to say “Hi!” to you and ensure that you are on track.  Keep the discussion short and ensure that they leave you alone quickly.
 

Depending on your biological clock, determine the best time to study.  It can be very early morning say, from 5.00 a.m. for some, while evening is a good time for some, while for some late nights are peaceful and good time to study.  You and your friends don’t necessarily have to sync because each one’s biological clock works differently.
 

Remember time is ticking, quickly, very quickly!
 

Find a comfortable and peaceful place to study: The study place has to be neat and clean.  It must have bright sunshine coming in throughout the day.  A dull day will make you feel drowsy.  Make sure that the sound of television is not coming very loudly from the adjoining hall.  Children playing outside can be a great temptation so avoid such places.  Make sure that the room does not have a bed else you will feel tempted to take a short nap which then goes on for hours.

It is recommended that you should go to a nearby library, be it your school, college or one managed by a local social group as it will lead to discipline.
 

Remember time is ticking, quickly, very quickly!
 

Recreation is Important too:  “All work and no play makes Jack a Dull Boy!” Well, that adage applies to studies as well.  Indulge in some physical sports activities which helps you to distract your mind from studies, pumps up your blood circulation and rushes oxygen to your brain, both good for stimulating the brain, further activating it and helps increase your concentration.  Take a shower. Preferably, take a nap.  When you’re fresh enough, resume your studies.  Indoor games like chess, carom and other board games are also useful.
 

But remember, everything in moderation and that time is ticking. Quickly, Very Quickly!
Keep Your Calm : Do not link your studies to how many marks you will get upon writing that answer.  Have the confidence.

This is not the time to re-write your notes, or draft your answers by copying from the text book or class notes.  Rather concentrate on answering your questions from whatever you have learnt.
 

Don’t ever say to yourself, “Hey yaar, I still don’t know this or so much remains to be studied”. This will induce unnecessary stress. Remember, you have all planned it out.  Make necessary adjustments as you go forward.  Stick to your Plan.
 

There are other studying techniques like associating your answers to some favourite event, story or anecdote which will help you remember.  We will cover this aspect some other time.
 

Finally, never plan to cheat in the examinations.  That should never be your plan “B” and not even your plan “Z”.  Remember, an examination is a tool to assess the knowledge that you have gained.   Without knowledge, your career prospects may get affected.  A mark sheet will not be useful it there is nothing to back it.
 

Trust yourself.  Visualise yourself as a Top Scorer whose photograph is flashed in the headlines of all Newspapers, on hoardings across the city and see the difference.   You will get energy, will have the motivation and will have a great impact. 

Best Wishes!
 

By : Sarfaraz Lakhani,
Editor, Calibre Creators Learning Letter
www.calibrecreators.com

CONNECT THE DOTS TO PLOT THE DOTS AHEAD

You will vividly remember having skidded on a Banana Peel (this is more popular in India) or having stumbled upon something while walking on a road or walkway.  You do get up and collect yourself but what everyone does (without having been trained to do so) is to look behind to see what happened, where it happened and why it happened.  You also take cognizance of the consequences, had not not managed to control the fall in time and limit the impact of the incident. You make mental notes of it and store it in your long term memory.  The next time, when you see a Banana peel lying in your path or an uneven surface or a stumbling block, you will automatically recall that event and put it to good use.

The words “Connect the Dots” has been made popular by two famous personalities, viz. Steve Jobs and Rashmi Bansal and there is abundance of truth in it.  We cannot repair the past but we can certainly look back to introspect, learn and move forward and be wiser than before.

The rules that are applied for performance appraisal of Human Resources in corporates apply here too.  Performance appraisal of employees in an organisation is an effective tool to review the past performance, give constructive and developmental feedback, undertake course correction, and then plan the objectives for the next performance period.

In life too, it is important to look at the trail that we have left behind, map the various points which have led to success, which have resulted in failures, which only gave lessons, identify the lowest as well as the peak periods.  When these are reviewed in totality, you get a picture which will reflect the journey you have covered so far. 

Man has been gifted with this unique ability to plan ahead.  Only when you have complete information about your professional and personal accomplishments, your portfolio of qualities, skills, attitude, behaviour, your knowledge, your good and bad experiences, what has worked for you and what has not, you are fully equipped to plan for the next stage in life – whether you want to leapfrog to your next objective or you want to take each step cautiously, whether you want to gain more experience and knowledge or whether you want to take a different route altogether. 

Animals too have been gifted with this strong instinct and they also use their memory to connect the dots.  I have seen on  umpteen documentaries on Discovery and Animal Planet channels how a young mother teachers her cubs to pounce upon their prey and how they keep on continuously learning from all their previous experiences to achieve that flawless performance in attacking their target and making it their next meal.

It is, therefore, very important to connect the dots to plot the dots ahead.  Plotting the dots becomes easier only when you have data about their past experiences.  For this you can depend on your memory or you can maintain a diary, a log or use some tool to record the events in life.  They also can be in pictorial form where you have photographs of each and every event which brings back fresh memories of all those milestones you have covered in life.

Plotting the dots ahead is relevant in all aspects of a person’s life – right from acquiring higher education, to finding the life partner, right job, family life, family events like birthdays, marriages, grand children, professional life, social life, retirement, sports, holidays and recreation, fitness, investments, property, and so on.  The journey then becomes easy because you know very well where you are going.  There are no blind spots, no half-baked measures, no doubts, no ambiguity.  You don't have to stop at each milestone to plan to reach the next one.  The journey is smooth.  You know fully well what distance you have to cover, how it is to be covered, what resources will be required, how much time will be required and what kind of terrain would you come across.  Once you know that you will be travelling on smooth roads, you will be less concerned and your mind will enjoy the journey.  But assume for a moment that you have set out for a smooth journey and not anticipated a river crossing, a gorge, or a mountainous region.  You will have to slow down, halt, go back halfway to take another route which will result in loss of time and delay in the achievement of your goals.

However, if you know that your journey will cover various landscapes (it is like travelling across India where there are desserts, mountainous regions, dense forests, backwaters as in Kerala, rain forests, hot and humid zones, icy mountains, etc. etc.) you will certainly equip yourself with all the tools, resources that may be required to continue your journey should there be surprises, short diversions, breakdowns, delays.  Plotting the dots helps you to plan for every thing and the picture becomes very clear in your mind.  When you see a picture of your goal, you start living it day in and day out and that becomes your mission in life.  Having a Mission in life is what drives you to the achievement of your goals.

One of the quotes which aptly sums up is “If you fail to plan, you have planned to fail”.

Best wishes.

Sarfaraz Lakhani

Calibre Creators

www.calibrecreators.com