Major exams take place once every 3 or four months, depending on a school’s calendar. The weeks and days leading up to that is filled with various quizzes, seatworks and homeworks, along with the introduction of new subjects that will comprise one grading period. Now, the big question is, what are your study habits leading up to the big exams that will comprise 15%(normally) of your final grades.
Back when we were young, teachers and adults encouraged us to study our lessons nightly, do our homeworks as soon as we get home, and review new lessons weekly. Not a bad schedule, not at all. But of course, back then, we didn’t have friends to talk on the phone with for hours on end, internet networking sites to visit, or extracurricular activities that will take up our leisure time. All these of course, boil down to less time for studying. If we are industrious enough, we’d be able to manage our time enough to be able to pass homeworks and projects on time. But the daily reviewing of notes would definitely be put on the backburner.
And then, before we know it, finals week is here. Ooops. Where are my notes? What’s the formula to find the final velocity again? Thirty-six hours before the exam, after downing several cups of coffee, we are now burning the midnight oil, cross-referencing notes with textbooks, trying to squeeze 4 months worth of topics and lists and formulas into a sleep-deprived brain. Oh, and is your teacher one of those who won’t let you take the exams unless you’ve passed all the requirements?
While a lot of people will claim that they work or study better under pressure, the chances of getting better grades will be higher if one studies constantly, letting the brain absorb data before feeding it new information. This can only be done if we will study and review our notes and lessons on a daily or weekly basis, setting aside enough time for this task. Plus, we will be developing a good habit, that of doing things that need to be done when they need to be done. In the long run, years after your exams and term papers have been graded, this habit will serve you in good stead.