Exams and Stress

LegacyUser

Hi all,

Well I finished up a few weeks ago in my first year of University and in two weeks I have exams ahead of me. The problem is, I have not done much work in the few weeks I have been off so far.

Now don't get me wrong, I am a good worker and I have a lot of notes from all of me lectures as I hardly ever missed a lecture or tutorial. I have read all the prescribed texts too and my in-class test results and essay results throughout the year were quite good.

However with the exams looming I seem to be in limbo, saying that I will start tomorrow and never doing so, thinking that it will all be ok when I know that if I don't get my act together then it won't be.

I have copious amounts of notes and print off's and have the past exam papers to look through as well. I just can't seem to get my head down to do the work and I think thgis is because I have so much to do, that I don;'t know where to start.

Has this happened to anyone on here?

I mean, after having a very successful first college year I really don;t want to repeat it over this!

I tend to get the same way
I just think of all the work I have to do, see how horribly much I have to do in a short time, and panic.
Just sit down and start on it bit by bit. If I had a very short time left, I'd look at the exam papers, figure out what usually comes up, study that, and then a bit more. Make sure I knew it thoroughly.
Don't think about how much there is and how you'll never do it because you'll get absolutely nowhere.
Get up early, have brekkie, and just start studying. Just start it and get into it and from there you'll find it easier to continue. Don't let your mind wander or start panicing, just focus on what you're studying. Once you start, it's a lot easier to continue, honestly.

Crucifix

When in doubt, past exam papers. How helpful they are can depend on the course, the class, the lecturer, and just random chance, but for me they've always been a good starting point.

dellas1979

Well, so you are trying to get yourself out of a hole. HHmmmm. All sounds too familiar.

Ok, so, Does this first year count towards your final GPA? If not start studying now and you might get the bare minimum passes to get into second year. Alot of Universities do not count first year.

Why are you being so "head in the sand" about this? Do you like this course?

If you do get into second year, learn from this situation.

kdouglas

dellas1979 wrote:

Well, so you are trying to get yourself out of a hole. HHmmmm. All sounds too familiar.

Ok, so, Does this first year count towards your final GPA? If not start studying now and you might get the bare minimum passes to get into second year. Alot of Universities do not count first year.

Why are you being so "head in the sand" about this? Do you like this course?

If you do get into second year, learn from this situation.

it's easy to say he's just sticking his head in the sand, but it's not that at all, i've been in a similar situation and know exactly how the OP feels, it's like knowing you need to work/study and if you dont you will fail, but at the same time just not having any motivation to do so

OP: bluewolf said it all really, on top of that i'd consider making a list of things to do, break them down into their smallest components, e.g. maths paper from 2005 q1 etc... and do stuff on the list
try to avoid watching tv or browsing online until you've done the things on your list. If you find it difficult to get moving, make a timetable, split your day up into 1hour segments and write down what you will do for that hour, allow time for breaks and dossing online or whatever, but only 5/10mins

sonners

I would definitely recommend making a little timetable for yourself. Have a look at what days you have left and what subjects you need to study. Try stick to the same subject for a whole day as chopping and changing too much wont help either. If you have a plan then at least when you get up in the morning you'll know what your supposed to do for the day and it'll be alot easier to start into it.

I got through five years of college with flying colours by planning things out like this. I know at this stage your very tired and probably sick of it all but the best way to get through it is to look at the final finish date. The day when you can relax knowing its all over (for another few months anyway )

Best of Luck

Miss Fluff

Go through past exam papers, will help you realise what you need spend more time revising on. I honestly wouldn't freak considering the consistent good work/attendance you have put in to date. Just set a time today and set a realistic goal to spend some time, i.e. I'll sit down at 3 and look at the 2005 paper for an hour and a half. If you look at it as an insurmountable task you will only freak yourself out. Good luck in exams

Making timetables sounds good but make sure you dont spend aaaages making the timetable and neglecting the work/ ignoring the timetable!
Times like this, it's easy to try and make a really cool timetable and laminate it and stuff

dellas1979

Well, *newsflash*, most students have found themselves in this situation, especially in first year of college. Hence, why some do not count GPA (amongst other valuable reasons). That depends though. If OP is having that much trouble and is panicing, they should find out what the story is.

The best way to start is just get stuck in. Turn off all distractions (I was studying for an exam myself last week and I know exactly how you felt - all weekend I was saying to myself "I must study Sunday" - Sunday came and went with no study). Anyways, if you feel overwhelmed, start with something you find/understand easy enough. That will get you into the studying. Dont panic because you still have time.

DublinDilbert

What i do is make up my own notes ( in bullet point form ) as a form of study... I just open a word document and just write a few lines on everything that i should know form the course... I keep adding to this document as i go along... then i print it up a week before the exam ( it shouldn't be too many pages as it's just bullet points ) and any spare time i have i look over it...

As you've been to all the lectures, and have probably picked up alot from them, knowing the bullet points off by heart will allow you answer exam questions...

Ishmael

Dunno if it applies to everyone, but for exams, i find easiest way to get myself motivated is to set myself some goals on what i want to achieve in the exams. Like X% in this and Y% in that exam and an overall goal of Z% for the year. That way it feels like i'm actually working towards something rather than just thinking "i'll study, do the exams and see what i get."

Once you do that, then you can see where you stand by looking at the exam papers and figuring out which questions you can and can't do. And thus you'll have a greater focus on what you do need to work on.

Personally, i find that timetables don't work, but then again, everyone has their own methods.

LegacyUser

Examinations wrote:

Now don't get me wrong, I am a good worker and I have a lot of notes from all of me lectures as I hardly ever missed a lecture or tutorial. I have read all the prescribed texts too and my in-class test results and essay results throughout the year were quite good.

you'll be fine. you've already done more work than probably half the people in your course, it will stand to you.

in my second year in col now and all i did was the above(probably to a lesser extent), along with some last minute cramming (never really more than a day per subject at best) and i'm pretty high up in the class. whether you realise it or not, you already know all the info you need, all you need to do now is organise the info in head. mind-maps, bullet points, whatever you find best.

as regards study, you can't force yourself, otherwise it's just counter productive. you've just got to coax yourself, bit by bit, you'll build up stamina. if an hour is too much, do half an hour, if half an hour is too much do 15 mins. just don't let yourself get distracted too much by other things.

remember exams are as much about your performance on the day. you want to be fresh, so don't over do it in the studying, because i see it all around me in the library, people nearly falling asleep in there... what's the bloomin point? if your tired, you are tired, go relax. I never study in the evenings myself, because i'm tired and need to chill out...

and remember, anxiety is your friend. it's your motivator to get you through this. don't ignore it, succumb to it, just accept and work through it. Ironically, the exams coming up now are arguably the most i've ever done any work for, but the anxiety levels are still the same as when i do nothing... it's a fact of life for most, just work with it and let it guide you in your study into the areas you thin you need the most work etc.

and know your exam paper, and or any possible different angles that can be taken. your head needs to be in a good state for the exams, and there's nothing worse than going in and seeing questions in a slant you weren't expecting.

LegacyUser

'Lads thanks for all of the advice I really appreciate it!

I managed to knuckel down yesterday and did 4 hours, covering a third of my political science course for the year.

If I can work as well as I did yesterday every day, on every thing else,I'll do fine...I hope!'

sonners

Examinations wrote:

'Lads thanks for all of the advice I really appreciate it!

I managed to knuckel down yesterday and did 4 hours, covering a third of my political science course for the year.

If I can work as well as I did yesterday every day, on every thing else,I'll do fine...I hope!'

Well done . The hardest bit is getting started and thats over with now. Keep going as you are and you'll be finished before you know it.

BoozyBabe

This method might not work for everyone, so if you think it mightn't work for you, then don't try it, as it's very time consuming!!!!

I was the master of all crammers. Studying for each exam (after I'd done this) just consisted of the day before the exam, & then get up early the morning of the exam.

Sad to say, but I loved the buzz sitting exams gave you, maybe I work best under pressure????

Anyway, using this method, I got distinctions every year & finished my degree with a 1:1, so it worked for me.

Basically, I went through every topic in each subject, & summarized it into my own words, thus making my own notes.
I'd only take the important points, & left all the waffle behind.
If there were certain sections that I didn't like / understand that well, I just ignored them, because at that stage, if I didn't know them, I never would.

When it then came to the day before & morning of exam:- I only had about 15 foolscap pages to notes to read over & over & over, instead of what everyone else was trying to do:- read some of this handout, that handout, refer to this book & that book!!
Way to disorganised for any constructive cramming!!!

Might help you, might not.

best of luck anyway.

Ciaran500

Ironically I'm sitting here with all my physics notes infront of me trying to start studying when I spotted this on the front page

The only way I've found is to just start it, tomorrow/later/after dinner just doesn't work. Try focus on the good points of having it done and not stress yourself out over missing certain targets or a session.


Time to get to work, wish me luck

Ciaran500

Ciaran500 wrote:

Ironically I'm sitting here with all my physics notes infront of me trying to start studying when I spotted this on the front page

The only way I've found is to just start it, tomorrow/later/after dinner just doesn't work. Try focus on the good points of having it done and not stress yourself out over missing certain targets or a session.


Time to get to work, wish me luck

Are you doing exphys?

I'm also sitting here with my maths notes trying to study. Sigh.
OP, good luck again.

Faith

OP, a lot of the advice given here is very dependent on what course you're doing. If it's an Arts course, you can jyst sit down and cut out a lot of the waffle. If it's a science course, generally everything is pretty important. I'm studying biology and I couldn't take the risk of ignoring anything that has been raised in lectures. Still doesn't mean I'm studying, though

Faith

Faith wrote:

OP, a lot of the advice given here is very dependent on what course you're doing. If it's an Arts course, you can jyst sit down and cut out a lot of the waffle. If it's a science course, generally everything is pretty important. I'm studying biology and I couldn't take the risk of ignoring anything that has been raised in lectures. Still doesn't mean I'm studying, though

I was actually aiming my advice for science, I've never done arts. Exam papers are a useful tool. Especially if there's choice on the paper, you can just study a fraction of the course and do well.

LegacyUser

'Yep, Arts it is lads.

Getting a third of the Political Science out of the way was a big deal for me!

I'm going to try and get a good chunk of history done today.'

kaimera

Wanna trade the stress involved with writing a fyp report for this coming Thurs knowing that had you to put even a little more effort in it would be a hell of a lot easier now?

For all your stress, remember that there's always someone out there either in the same boat or steaming ahead of you in a canoe with an outboard motor attached.

kdouglas

kaimera wrote:

Wanna trade the stress involved with writing a fyp report for this coming Thurs knowing that had you to put even a little more effort in it would be a hell of a lot easier now?

For all your stress, remember that there's always someone out there either in the same boat or steaming ahead of you in a canoe with an outboard motor attached.

ha, that was me (and most my class tbh) about 2 weeks ago!

oh the joys of college life, and they say students have it easy?

Chinafoot

As a former History student I would definitely recommend paying extra attention to the topics covered in your tutorials. There is so much covered in History in first year and you probably noticed that not everything was covered in the tutorials (at least thats how it was with us).

Also, remember which topics your lecturers spent the most time on and if you think back on the classes chances are hints were dropped as to which areas were, shall we say, more important than others.

You've said yourself you have done the work throughout the year and have done well. As has already been pointed out, chances are you are in a better position than a lot of people in your year. You'll be amazed what will come back to you in the exam.

I had a study routine similar to that of Boozy Babe. I would go through the relevant notes/chapters and condense it down into bullet points on an a4 page. Then I'd condense them down again, keeping the most important points. Then, I would condense it down one last time onto flash cards. It's a little time-consuming, but after writing out the notes 3 times the information will stick in your head, and the flash cards are great for last minute study and bringing all the information back to you.

Anyway, best of luck OP although I doubt you'll need it