Term 4 is kinda rough but you gotta do it

With this year’s final term coming up, sometimes it seems as though after countless late nights, cups of instant coffee and random outbursts of tears, we are void of optimism and no longer see the point in our education. So instead of finishing the draft off on the night, we tell ourselves not to worry, and make an internal promise to write it tomorrow in Homeroom.

So as you go to sleep, you start to wonder why it seems that your teenage years are such a hassle. Shouldn’t they be your golden years? If so, why is there so much stress on doing well? And more importantly, why is there no John Cusack in your life to stand outside your window holding a boom box above his head serenading you?

But above this, it’s important to remember that this exam period, and all the exam periods that have been and are yet to come, only represent a small portion of your life. As much as you should aim to do your best in them, it’s of paramount importance that you don’t lose your mind for getting a practice question wrong. The future is vast, and as its creator, you get to pick and choose what is included in it, and the best part is there are no rules.

So here is a list of helpful tips to help you organise yourself in upcoming assessment:

• Write your subjects out in a list and prioritise them based on demand. If you’ve got two exams on the same day and don’t know which to prioritise, choose the one you are weaker at. If you are on top of your Maths content, but don’t remember the significance of the Bosnian Crisis of 1908, maybe it’s time to do some history revision.

• Procrastinate effectively- tired of revising one subject? Switch to another and come back to it later. You’ll thank yourself later when you can watch Netflix without pangs of guilt knowing well you haven’t done enough revision.

• Write yourself a list and focus on your weaknesses. Although it's important to remember your strengths, pinpoint your downfalls so you can fix them before the exam

• Actually follow through and use study guides and sources teachers have given you in class. They’re actually pretty handy and you’ll guaranteed to feel a sense of achievement after filling one out.

• Don’t let apathy take over. Make a list of things that will motivate you. What makes you want to do well? Read the list whenever a lack of motivation kicks in.

• Are textbooks getting you down? Switch over to using online YouTube tutorials or Khan Academy. We all know the goal of trying to memorise 12 chemistry chapters in a night without going cross-eyed is unrealistic, so why not spice up your study?

• Make sure to get enough sleep the night before. Instant coffee doesn’t and will never constitute as sleep so don’t rely on it.

And finally…

Remember that you are the same you, before and after you take the test. As typical as it sounds, remember numbers don’t define who you are as a person. Tests won’t. So although it is important to take your exams seriously, never let them ruin you as a person. So best of luck, go forth and succeed.