As I write this article, a word document that reads “final exam spring 2022’’ stares at me waiting to be given attention. The recorded lecture playing in the background gives me false hope of somehow saving my GPA. For students, the month of May is marked by one of the most dreaded times of the year. One that would likely determine the course of our future at IBA. Exam season.
Every semester, before my exams, I find myself stuck in a cycle of the same thoughts. Here are a few of those thoughts that some students, if not all, would relate to.
1. I have time
The first stage is the illusion that it is too early to think about finals. We do realize that there is no such thing as ‘’too early”. Deep down we know there are things from the syllabus that we would thank ourselves later for covering right now. We remember that we made this mistake last semester, and the semester before. Yet somehow, here we are, putting ourselves in the same situation all over again.
2. Planning
This is when it dawns upon us that exams are indeed not that far. While it is still not the time to be alarmed, we decide to take control of the situation before it gets out of our hands. For me, making a list of things I need to do is the go-to move in these times. The list is the key to success. Sticking to it is the plan.
3. Not sticking to the plan
As more work piles up, the point of the list gets lost somewhere. This might be something that procrastinators (me) would relate to. Not following the schedule on the first day leads to not following it at all. Suddenly, the work is too much and the time left to do it is too little. The prayers we made during Ramzan seem like the only ray of hope.
4. Don’t know what I don’t know
This is the time to freak out. This is the point when we know we if we don’t do something we will regret it. So we ask others whether they have started or not. It is particularly comforting to learn that our peers are in the same boat as us. Ironically, at this point, some students (me) still do things that contribute nothing to their GPAs. Such as calculating our potential GPAs, questioning why we’re doing this degree in the first place, or writing an article on the thoughts students have before their exams.
5. Dwelling in the past
The past can’t be undone. Yet we find ourselves thinking about the opportunities we could have taken to not have to depend so much on the final. That one assignment where we could have scored a little more, or that one class discussion where we could have gained some extra class participation points revolve in our minds.
You got this!
In a feeble attempt to be relatable I mostly pointed towards students not being ready for the exams. However, it is never too late to prepare and ace the exams. There is always hope. Good luck!
One thought on “5 Thoughts Students Have Before Their Exams”
I think, the thing that affected us the most is online classes, particularly we freshman students. The laziness, even in hybrid model, we used to think, ” yrr aaj campus jane ka mode nai bss online le lete hain”
Yeah, we wastes our time, but upto some extent, online mode brought us here.😢