For the avid studier.
How often do you get that feeling, whilst lying in bed on a Saturday or curled up on the sofa after school, of “I’m so comfy. I don’t really need to study today. I’ll get up early and do it tomorrow”? I’m sure it’s happened to everybody at least once in their student lifetime, and even happens to a lot of students on a regular basis. But the question is how to overcome that lazy sensation and just get on with it.
For the majority of schools, colleges and universities across the world, written examinations are the primary method for evaluating a students capabilities. However many have argued the effectiveness of standardised testing on determining a student’s grade.
With exam period over, most students get that “fresh start” feeling just in time for the new term. Every student will understand how easy it is to tell yourself that you’re going to do a million and one things better this term, that you’re going to exercise more and study everyday and keep a planner with all your daily “to do” lists. BUT(!) … It never lasts. And this is where the problem arises for most of you.
So we’ve talked about those perfect stocking fillers for stationery lovers. Now it’s time to discuss gadgets! Nowadays, most students will claim that it’s almost impossible to get through university/college without a range of different gadgets.
I know for a fact that there are thousands of stationery lovers out there, who like me, love nothing more than filling our studies with one too many stationery items and getting them out at every given opportunity. This often leads to planners that make your eyes hurt because they’ve been filled with a million different colour coordinated memos, or text books loaded with sticky notes on every page and obviously there’s the ever growing stockpile of notebooks.
At some point in the life of every student they will have to give a presentation or do some form of public speaking. Unfortunately, many of us struggle with this, whether it be through lack of confidence, shyness or just an irrational fear. So how do we overcome this obstacle to stand up in front of a room full of people and talk to them?
Everyone assumes that multiple choice tests are easier than your average “read and respond to the questions” exam. However it only takes a few trick questions or rushed answers to knock down your overall score, especially when teachers insist on subtracting points for wrong answers.
Now my first piece of advice when doing a multiple choice test would be to read each and every question carefully, including all of the answers, and take you time not to be fooled by small details. Another useful tip is to answer the question in your head before looking at the possible answers, so as not to get confused or panicked when all four answers sound both right and wrong at the same time!
A couple of standard questions you’ll find yourself being asked, once you return to university in September are: “So how was your summer? What did you get up to?” For too many a student the answer is “Not much, relaxed, hung out with some friends”. And that’s when you realise that you’ve wasted your summer and in reality have nothing to show for it.
How many of you hate with a passion that moment at the end of an exam when you’re frantically trying to write down an answer, whilst the lecturer attempts to pry your exam from your hands? There’s nothing worse than being forced to give in an exam, knowing that there’s a question not answered in full. You find yourself brooding over that point you should have had if only you’d been allowed five more minutes to finish.
