How to survive state exams

So I already spent few days with really boring program: getting up, breakfast, studying, lunch, studying, running, dinner, studying, sleeping. And again. And again. That´s why I had a lot of time to think about my strategy how to survive and study efficiently at the same time. I don´t know if it works yet as my exams are in 5 days (it is soon! ) but I made a list of things or practices how not to go crazy. In fact, not going mad is not an easy task beause I honestly consider our studing material too extensive, too boring, too unpractical and I do not see any advantage of memorizing endless information about Macroeconomics, Microeconomics and European Economics Integration. I mean – I kind of liked it during the first or second year at the university. But this is too much. I already survived studying European Integration one semester ago. Although there is a big difference between studying just for the exam and preparing these three subjects for oral exam (all together it is five big exams! ).

Plan

The first thing I always do is making a plan. Since my first plan already failed because I did not manage to start studying on time I decided to do daily plans instead of one whole (but I consider both all right). I already learnt that the most important thing is: don´t overstate yourself. On Monday when I forgot to put breaks into the plan and when I put less time for certain topics than I really needed, consequentially, I got nervous because I was late for all tasks.

The second day it was better and today I almost managed to accomplish all the things on the list. When this happens you can have legitimately good feeling. My practice is: When I think I can learn certain material in one hour it is better to put into the plan twice more time (2 hours in this case). It enables you to have enough time to understand the topic and memorize it without stress. Of course you can do this only if you still have enough time, not the day before exam.

In addition, think thoroughly about the breaks. Today I was really happy when I realized I had one hour break. The worse thing was that I fell asleep and I had two hours break… Back to the topic, we need breaks. Seriously, we are people and it can easily happen that something does not go according to the plan. Then, we need reserves.

Don´t text anybody

This is another important rule. Don´t text anybody. I mean texting like: Hey! How is your day? It is almost clear that the conversation will continue.

Did you accidentally find your old friend´s picture on Facebook? Would you like to know what is new with him/her? Wait until you are done with your state exam. It is always same. It starts with: "Hey! How are you? I have not seen you for ages. " After two hours of texting about another´s adventure you feel even worse that you have to continue with studying while other people are enjoying travelling or whatever they do. Morever, even cleaning whole house seems more attractive at this moment.

Don´t speak much with nerds

Do you feel proud of yourself that you finally managed to memorize anything? Don´t ask nerds what they already learnt. Of course it will make you feel worse when you find out that they already read a whole textbook with millions notes and they spent already three weeks of studying without sleeping, eating, social life because they are brilliant at everything.

Moreover, studying is really individual as I know some people who just need to read something once and it is enough. Unfortunately, it is not my case at all. You can not really compare how much time you spent by studying with others and if it is better or worse than another classmates. Moreover, they can always say they studied less time and after you feel stupid (I am sorry for exaggerating).

Sport

In every studying manual you can read that it is important to relax or do a sport to have a rest. For me it is running. Sometimes I am fed up with memorizing information and I really need to go out or do whatever. It does not reduce your time and at least you are full of energy again in case you are not totally exhausted afterwards as I am today.

Rewards

Sometimes it helps me a lot to set some rewards like: after finishing I will make a banana cocktail which I love. It motivates me a little bit. Worse thing is that it can transform to overeating by biscuits, chocolate or candy. Be careful. It already happened to me many times. Sometimes I try to motivate myself by another activities like watching short serial while having break. Be careful again. It can easily change into watching the whole movie or even set of movies.

Find your studying mate

When I said don´t text with nerds from your class I did not mean stop talking to everybody. It is a positive thing to have someone who has to go through the same stress and learn the same stuff. I appreciate having close friends these times. There is no better way how to get closer together than complaing together about the same thing.

Get to sleep

I know a lot of people who are too nervous that they can not fall asleep even though it is already 2 am and they are totally exhausted because they still have to think of the exam. I also experienced it during studying for the hardest Mathematic exam. I wanted to sleep so bad but I was still picturing everything about the exam in my mind and I could not sleep.

At that time my mum advised me to drink a little bit of wine to be more tired. Her theory is that after drinking wine you are always tired. I also heard about drinking hot milk before sleeping. These days I found a really good practice. I have no idea if I am too tired after running that I can easily fell asleep or if the practice works.

When I was in difficulties with memorizing some stuff I recorded myself and I was trying to listen to it. I tried it for the first time in December when I was not able to read more material so I decided to lie in the bed and listen to myself until I remembered something. At that time I had no idea it could help me sleep as well. Yesterday I wanted to learn by listening myself again and it literally made me sleep like a baby after one second. I don´t know if it is an advantage that my voice along with European integration can make someone easily sleepy. Even worse I have to admit listening my voice is super boring.

Last effort

Okay, so when you have problems with yourself being focused I have one more idea. Yesterday I spent two hours by trying to concentrate and I did not work at all. I already saw all the new pictures on Facebook, new videos on YouTube, new snaps or Instagram pictures.

Every time when I started to read the material I remembered more important thing I had to do and it was awful. When I tried to change a place it was even worse because studying in the bed is not a good idea.

That´s why I closed myself on terrace without music, computer and mobile phone. I only took a paper, studying material and marker. I said myself that I was not leaving the terrace until I learned that 4 questions because I already had postponed studying many times and I needed to have it finished. Finally it worked. I had no other option. I already decided not to leave the terrace.

In the end it was not so difficult but the hardest thing is to force yourself to start. Besides when you have to do it many times per day (because our university thinks we have unlimited brain that can remember everything) it is even more difficult.

That´s all for today. The lesson for me is not to speak much and maybe not to write a blog when I am pressed for time…

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