Dear Zoe,My first round of exams are just around the corner but I can’t seem to get myself motivated to study for them… What do you suggest I do to get myself back on track?
From, Totally Off Course
Dear totally off Course,
Exams are tough on everyone. No one likes to sit in a crowded lecture hall for an hour and a half knowing that a large percentage of your grade will be determined on the outcome. Unfortunately for most of us, exams and essays are the easiest way to see if you have learned the required material. It is common to feel that lectures and readings are easy but then wake up one morning and realize there is an exam in a week.
The first exams are always the hardest. The class and professor are still relatively new and it is hard to know what will be on the exam. Classes cover a surprising amount of material in a few weeks, and although you may wish that the questions were all true or false, most exams will feature problems that require you to go above and beyond the basic ideas covered in class.
Motivation is hard to find when the weather is nice and your friends seem to have unlimited free time. Studying is something that stinks in the short run but pays off in the long run. No one ever regrets studying. Some people treat studying as a job and set aside specific hours. They sit in the same place at the library every day and never write their essay the night before it is due or cram because they work a little each day.
Other people, like me, study through out the day, we work through one assignment and then take a break. Write down what you want to get done in your planner or on a sticky note and refer to it and check things off as you finish them.
The best advice I can give is to take a deep breath and hit the books. It is never a good idea to start studying close to the exam, but if you have been paying attention and taking good notes in class a little review will help build on what you already know. Work through some problems in the book and work through some of the harder ones. Write down what ones are challenging and frustrating and then visit your professor’s office hours.
Most classes have a review session, study guide or discussion that is a great time to ask questions and get a better feel for what will be on the exam. It is hard to find the time to go to optional sessions but I promise you, even if you feel completely prepared, those extra sessions they will be well worth it.
Motivation is hard to find, but remember you are at college to learn first and foremost. Would you rather play a few extra hours of video games and stare down an F or give your self a pep talk before stepping foot in the library and be proud of your grade?
