Comments on: Be 7 times ready for exams

By: Martin

Martin — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:17:27 +0000

Thanks agentjade, I’m glad you’ve managed to glide into exams without the usual build-up. Best of luck to you for the future. Goodbye finals!

By: agentjade

agentjade — Sat, 03 May 2008 08:59:06 +0000

Hey there…even though I’m almost done with my finals but I’m glad you drop a message on my blog and here I am at your website. Good advice there, especially #1, which I practised dilligently. I usually sweep into the room 2 minutes before time, just as everyone is already too frazzled and stressed out to brag about what they have studied the night before and how confident they are that it will all come out. Keep up the fun writing, I’m reading this blog.

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:52:57 +0000

Hi, I’ve been to your website once before. Thought I’d drop you a comment…great articles, keep up the good work

By: Finals Time: Some Test Taking and Final Exam Tips | Pimp Your Grades | Study Tips. Good Grades.

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:53:25 +0000

[...] Martin over at The University Blog will tell you how to be prepared for your exam in 7 steps: Be 7 times ready for exams Go through the rigmarole of examinations with a positive step and some initial work. You need to be [...]

By: JorgeRB

JorgeRB — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:30:29 +0000

Martin,

It has all become clear and I completely agree with your point. Just prior to an exam it is definitely not productive and it may alter your mindset negatively. As Michael mentioned, it is always painful when you do not know a question a classmate asks–instant panic attack!

JorgeRB

By: Michael | University Scholar

Michael | University Scholar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:07:18 +0000

I agree with you Martin. If you want to collaborate correctly you should do it a few days before the exam. When you collaborate right before an exam there is a chance that someone will ask you “did you study this part?” and your answer is “no!” At that point you are frightened and ready to run away. It is not good for your confidence.

By: Martin

Martin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:47:32 +0000

Jorge, you’re absolutely right. Collaborating on revision can certainly hold benefits for many students and I don’t want to knock that.

I’m afraid I didn’t explain myself properly in the post. My bad. Thanks to your comment, I have now edited things so that it (hopefully) reads more clearly.

I was referring to the moments before an exam. There is inevitably discussion over the possible exam content, what people did and didn’t revise, how they believe the questions will be structured, why one type of revision is better than another, and so on. It’s unproductive to speculate and it’s potentially damaging to do so in the moments before sitting down to an exam.

Hopefully that clears things up. Of course, if you disagree with my actual point, I have the perfect reply:
“No, you are wrong and I am right…lalalaLALALA I’m not listening!”
As you can see, I want to be adult about it.

By: JorgeRB

JorgeRB — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:56:22 +0000

Though it is true that revision is a personal endeavor that truly depends on your mindset. With regards to #1, some collaboration/discussion with fellow classmates is definitely helpful in terms of focusing in on the most important material as well as fleshing out some of the material. I would say a student needs to be selectively selfish, but not completely discount classmates.