Pursuing Excellence

Tips To Really Boost Your Marks In These Yearly Exams

E. Y. Nam

LET’S FACE IT: We’ve all been dreading this moment to come around. If someone told me they felt genuinely excited to take their maths exam, I would’ve sat them down and questioned their sanity. Besides, it’s so easy to brush off a hefty task we dislike until a later time.

In all honesty, I too, have found myself subject to hours of procrastination. It’s a never-ending temptation to sit in bed and scroll through our phones. However, as we face these fast–approaching exams, it becomes crucial to adopt good time management skills not only for this term but also for future years.

Good time management doesn’t always have to be about squeezing all your tasks on a Sunday afternoon, but can rather revolve around studying smart, increasing your focus and therefore getting things done faster. This way, your negative approach to exams takes a turn as you’re able to destress and spare time to do the things you love. So here are a few tips we can all implement to study smarter:

Classwork

I know it’s become a repetitive slogan, yet in-class note taking is still one of your best options. Studying becomes so much easier if you’ve paid attention in class. For example, they’re really useful to refer back to when you’re doing exam revision.

Past Papers are King

These are your most valuable assets. They are so useful as you basically go through the same test you’ll be doing on the actual day, only different questions. The format is the same, the structure is the same, the content is the same. It is the easiest and most efficient way to get your head around most concepts.

Timeboxing

This is to simply get it done and over with. Instead of attempting to spend eight hours on a single day studying, get in your focus zone and commit peak concentration for a specific amount of time. Patience is key: fix your gaze on the long term.

Keep in Mind

Studying is not a complex sequence. There is no special method that only a few select boys know which gives them unfair advantages. If you simply invest a window of time every week to exam prep, in a couple weeks you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come.

“The simplest answer is often the correct answer.”

–  Occam

Let’s all make sure we finish the year strongly.