I think I have taken enough exams to finally give advice to others on how to sail through the rough weather now that I am a Junior at Purdue University. Its shitty, its demanding, its time consuming and it disproportionately affects your GPA and hence your academic performance. But at the same time, it's important to do well in this time period. So here are 5 things you should have to get through the exams.
1. Food
Make sure you have enough food for yourself while you are studying, visit Walmart or Target and buy groceries and snacks to stock up the pantry such that you do not run out of food. Keeping yourself full to provide for the demands of a constantly running brain is important. Make sure you get the right about of fibres to keep your metabolism running and enough carbs to provide energy to your brain.
2. Sleep
Why is this guy writing about sleep and exams in the same article? They do not go together. This is exactly where you got it wrong mate, actually they do go together. I have had 2 stressful weeks of exams where my brain would refuse to function after a certain time period, no matter how closely I tried to read or how long I tried to sit in front of the book. This is when I realised, sleep is important. Maybe you are actually behind on your syllabus and really need to catch up, that is fine, I understand the pressure, I am not asking you to hit the hay for 9 hours straight. If you are that stressed, get 2-hour naps instead, but understand that sleep is important. It helps recharge your brain and get you a fresh perspective on the same things apart from improving cognitive processing.
3. Music
Everyone could use some downtown, for me, music is my downtown, when I tune into my Sennheiser, I tune out of the world. I encourage you to listen to soft and soothing music that relaxes your brain for short time periods like ten minutes several times a day to keep the stress from growing.
4. Friends
When I say friends, I don't mean party and alcohol. I simply mean keeping in touch. You all are going through the same pressure, so they can all relate to what you are feeling right now. That being said, there might be cases where being around friends initiates conversations and distract you. For this, you may want to use noise-cancelling headphones or study with friends in the library, such that you all are compelled to keep quiet.
5. Exercise
I am only adding this to the list because I speak from personal experience. I am a couch potato and I hate exercise, I haven't been to the gym in ages. But during exam time, there are times when I am stuck to the desk for hours and I can't simply study anymore. Further, I have socialised enough with my friends and had enough of Mozart and Bach. It is during these times that I simply get up and go out for a walk or a run. A 10-minute run, makes blood rush through my brain, the supply of oxygenated blood makes my heart race and even though I do not break a sweat, I see my concentration skyrocket once I get back to studying. Try it, it works
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