Conquer your exam period

TYLER HAYWARD / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Amanda Teseo 

Silhouette Staff

A few weeks ago, I was stuck in traffic in front of the McMaster hospital about to turn onto Main Street West, wondering what the hold up was, when I noticed a girl walking slowly in the middle of the left turning lane. People were honking and yelling for her to get off the street, but she remained unphased, walking forward with her head down. When I finally pulled up beside her, I rolled down my window to ask her if she was okay. Her response: “Did bad on midterm.” The blank expression on her face seemed melancholic, like all the life was sucked out of her.

As this year comes to a close, exams pile in and stress rapidly spirals upward. Being a university student is difficult; we have relationships, money, academics and family life to deal with on a regular basis. How do we navigate the remainder of this year with balance and charisma? Unfortunately, I cannot provide you with a standard method for getting by. You are going to get overwhelmed; that’s just part of life. The one thing you can take comfort in is that you are not alone.

That girl walking in the middle of the street was experiencing an extreme version of what most of us feel when we “bomb” an evaluation. It’s never worth it to put yourself in danger. Everything can be dealt with, in due time.

HubPages, a blog-type website, lays out some common problems college students face and potential ways of dealing with them.

Studying: The power of a “to-do” list is great. Listing everything you have to get done with its corresponding due date can allow you to put everything in perspective. Then, take a deep breath, and get started. Begin with an easy task to get yourself on a roll and to break the procrastination temptation. Once you finish this task, move onto a harder one. If you find yourself stuck for a while, move on. The difficult problem will linger in your mind as you hustle through other work.

Money: “The root of all evil” is great when you have enough, but can be a source of significant stress if you are running low. University is expensive, especially if you live away from home. Sit down and plan out all your spending for the month. If your current funds don’t balance out with your expenses, start cutting back. This can mean simple things, like choosing brands that are on sale, packing a lunch or lessening utility usage.

In preparation for exams, I usually head to Costco in search of some great deals on cheap and healthy foods. Now that March is wrapping up, get everything in line for April. Make sure the essentials are available for exams.

Job: Many of us are searching for summer employment. If you can, put all the stress that follows job searching on hold for the duration of exams. The worst thing is scheduling an interview immediately before or after an exam.

Sickness/Health Conditions: As mentally and often physically draining as exam period can be, it becomes especially important to maintain optimal health. Take your vitamins, avoid the temptation to live off of dry cereal, and try to remain active. First, a healthy diet means eating substantial meals that leave you satisfied and alert. For ideas, check out the Wellness@Mac newsletter circulated by the Student Success Centre (MUSC B106). Next, engaging in some form of exercise during exam period improves blood circulation and heightens concentration. Even if this means dancing around your room for ten minutes, anything that brings your heart rate up will suffice.

Relationships/Friends/Roommates: Crunch time is a “personal journey.” For some, rounding up friends for a study session may be an effective way to tackle exam preparation. For others, studying is an independent activity. Whatever your study style is, make exam period solely about academic issues. Any issues surrounding your relationships with roommates, boyfriends/girlfriends and friends shouldn’t be dealt with the night before an exam, as this may negatively affect your academic performance.

Ultimately, the exam period is your opportunity to regurgitate all the concepts you have learned throughout the year. Prepare yourself physically and mentally for a healthy and successful set of exams.