Exam Story

Piles of past exam papers, study guides, notes, summaries and texts lay on my desk.  On the wall, I had drawn up a revision timetable and was miles behind schedule.  I knew that the better my university entrance score, the more options I would have and yet nothing seemed to motivate me.  When I couldn't fall asleep, my timetable haunted me.  I should have written ten essays by now.  How do I get a handle on differential calculus?  And the recurring nightmare: that I would disappoint my parents and teachers. 

Attending an academically selective high school, it seemed as if so many of my peers had developed a perfect revision technique.  The boy who had achieved dux every year since Year 7 - everyone knew he could ace the final exams.  Talking to my classmates and finding out how they coped was important in dispelling my misperception of 'geniuses who don't need to study'.  The reality is that everyone has to study, everyone feels pressured but it is their attitudes that differ.  Although seeing others for their strengths was vital, one of my biggest mental challenges was to believe in developing my own strengths as well.

I was able to seek advice from family and friends, and modified my study techniques in the lead up to the exams.  To boost my confidence, I recalled the best mark that I received in each of my subjects, the steps I took to achieve that mark and what I enjoyed most about the learning process.  As someone who visualises information easily, my motivation for English increased when I started creating mind-maps to summarise the texts.

Clearing my desk, I placed the books for one subject at a time on the desk as I studied.  Instead of the timetable, my walls had short quotes such as "It may be difficult but it is possible!" and a 'Post-Exams' list.  I started to use scrap paper instead of new lined paper when writing practise essays to make myself realise that it was draft that could be improved.

Being surrounded by people who sometimes studied at lunch, I got caught up in the notion 'drop everything and just study'.  Every moment away from the desk felt like a moment wasted.  I felt guilty just enjoying a one hour TV show.  Funnily enough, I found that getting away from the books for half-and-hour or so really helped.  Particularly at times when my brain felt almost overloaded with information, when everything became a distraction - getting something to eat even though I wasn't hunger, reorganising my notes, tidying the house.  Every so often, I walked outside and gazed up at the sky - the clear atmosphere and direction itself put my anxieties into perspective.

As the weekends, weeks and months flew by and the final exams approached, nervousness became motivation.  My motto these days is: If you're ready to put in the hard yards, anything's possible.  And I'm ready!