The Exams Survival Guide

The title has NO relationship to Sonic Youth's. Before she posted hers, I decided to make a series of Survival Guides, similar to the one I wrote about GSB. I'll write them about anything and everything, so if you have.... ANY requests, any! Let me know. Also, keep in mind I don't really check my grammar or anything while I'm typing, I just let it all roll out. As you can tell. Checking grammar.... that's SO English class. Pshaw.

Exams. I know a lot of people who freak out on exams. They do all the homework, they grasp the subject, and bomb on the tests. However - and I don't mean to boast - but I consider myself to be pretty good with tests. So, I'm willing to share some of my tips with you stressed out little weirdos! Aren't I wonderful? =)

- DO NOT OVERSTUDY. Do not. Ever. Overstudy. It's the worst thing you can do. I never study for tests and I do alright. I'll go over that later. Now, I understand getting in fifteen-thirty minutes for a regular quiz or test, and maybe an hour-hour and a half for a midterm or final, but I wouldn't DARE exceed an hour and a half for one test. Why? It's all in the mindset. Because you're willing to go that extra mile to get that A, not only will you tire out your brain, but you will also make yourself more anxious about the test. And anxiety is the thing that kills you before a test. I wouldn't recommend more than ten minutes for a regular test, and maybe 30-45 minutes for a midterm or final, if you make good use of your time.

- IT IS NOT A TEST. IT IS A WORKSHEET WITHOUT A BOOK. That's all. You turn in graded worksheets, right? Sometimes you can't use your book for the worksheet, and you have to complete in anyways. It's the same deal. You have to have this mentality, like... "Okay, I do all the work and I get the material. Chill out. It's just another worksheet." If you see it as this HUGE TEST, you put more pressure on yourself and you can psyche yourself out right there. My friend does that. Chill. Even if it doesn't turn out so hot, you know you do the work and that'll bring up your grade significantly.

As for me? I don't study. Ever. Maybe for a Midterm for about ten minutes, and that's it. I almost REFUSE to study for regular quizzes and tests. How am I so poised about test-taking when I don't even study? I do. During class. It's quite simple. Although it's hard for me cause of my rather low attention span, I soak in everything I can during class and ask all the questions I need to THERE. Whenever the teacher is rambling about something dumb, I go back into the lesson we're working on and I review to make sure I understand it. It's practically engrained into my head by the end of class. If you do the classwork, the homework, and ignore the teacher's pointless lectures that he or she will usually branch into, you can understand it all right there. Then, homework is just reinforcement.

So there's my tips. If you have any requests for another Survival Guide... about ANYTHING, I'll say it again, I'll put it on my list. If there's anything I forgot to mention in this, lemme know! I wrote this in only twenty minutes, I think I still forgot a few things.