Studying Last Minute...some tips for you

Exam is around the corner, time is definitely running out but you have not covered revision for half the syllabus yet? What should you do?

That’s right folks, the clock is ticking unbelievably fast and you are starting to panic. You wish you could convert your brain into a sponge and soak up everything directly off the books… but alas, that is purely wishful thinking! So, the next best thing would be to roll up your sleeves, switch on that studying mode and start studying in earnest!

‘Fret not, many out there are just like you, so here are some useful tips to help you gear up for that dreadful but all-too-important exam :

1)FIND YOUR PRIME TIME
Not everyone can study at anytime of the day. Some find their minds fresher and function better in the early mornings, some just the opposite; whatever work that needs to use their minds can only get done at night. Prime time simply means the most effective time of the day where you are most productive. It could be 1, 2 or 5 hours a day. But for your own sake, if this is a real last minute thing, please stretch it for as long as you can!!

2)DON’T STUDY HARD (HUH??)
As opposed to popular belief, studying more may not necessarily mean better results in your exams. The smarter way to study is, study the right thing. Selective studying means you don’t have to read and memorize the entire textbook. You will only have a brain-traffic-jam of facts and figures, which will only confuse you further, and makes you forget what’s really important.

Find your own way of selective studying. What works for others may not work for you. Once you have found a way that suits your own, stick to it and use it often.

3) PAST YEAR QUESTIONS
The most conclusive way of making sure you are studying the right stuff would be to attempt past year questions. Get your hands on as many past year papers and exam papers.

4) STAY AWAKE

“I really want to study but I keep falling asleep once I open my book! How??” 

Many students fall asleep while studying because they choose to study just before bedtime, or they sacrifice sleep for the past few weeks just for last minute studying. In any case, how do you solve the problem of falling asleep while studying?

The answer is : DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARRY!!

5) STAY AWAY FROM DISTRACTION
Distraction varies from TV, cell phones, computer games or social networking websites, to family environment, social functions or even mood swings.

How do you expect to have time for studying if you spend 3 hours a day online? This is only an example. Not to mention the endless social functions you have to attend almost every weekend, the oh-so-exciting-TV series that you can’t miss, the twice weekly football game with the guys, the girlfriend who throws a tantrum if you don’t call her up to chat an hour a day, the daily afternoon nap that will get you cranky every time you miss it. And after everything is done and quiets down, you find that you are either too tired or simply, “not in the mood to study”.

The keyword here is : CONTROL.

Whatever the distraction is, keep it under control !! BAN yourself from Facebook / Myspace if you have to.

Discipline is of utmost importance to achieve this task. Nothing can distract you if and once you set your mind to it. I don’t have to elaborate further. You know what you need to do.

Well, I hope at least some of you desperate students out there would find these tips useful to your last minute studies. However, one important point to note is that the No.1 factor in making last minute studies successful is DETERMINATION & EFFORT.

As the old saying goes,

“where there’s a will, there’s a way” 

and I will add this :

“where there is no will, there will be procrastination and delay. In other words, a million excuses” 

Sad to say, if there is no determination or effort to start with, no amount of useful tips in this world will be of the slightest use to you. All your efforts in searching for the magic tips to study last minute and articles such as this, would be nothing but futile.

So, hang in there folks, and make the best use of the remaining time you have ! Good luck, y’all! Fighting~!!!