Exams
The snow is all around, the fire is burning lazily in the fireplace and I’ve got some time on my hands. Isn’t it easy to get sentimental sometimes? :) I’ve got nearly all what I dreamt of – someone to love, a safe home, great friends, rewarding job… And only two years ago I was sitting in my flat in Łódź, preparing myself for the next winter exam session, worrying about the exams and wondering what the future holds for me. It’s strange how one coincidence leads to another, one small decision to huge changes, how uncontrollable it all seems to be. Or, perhaps, how Someone controls it, beyond the grasp of our imagination, making our lives according to His wishes… Hm…
Coming back to the exam session – how are you, students, doing at the moment? Have you already written your exams? Are you still studying or are you celebrating the end of hard work?
And I’m wondering what your studying systems are – are you just reading your notes, your friend’s (who is a better student and always makes better notes, because, in fact, you don’t make any) notes, or are you swotting feverishly? Do you plan what to study? Or do you study chaotically and always leave it for the last possible moment? I have to admit that I was…
MORE…
I have to admit that I was a very organized student. To be able to sleep peacefully, I always first divided the number of pages to learn by the number of days to the exam, and ALWAYS learned (swotted?) exactly this many pages. Not more, not less. I stayed awake late if it was necessary (otherwise, sleep wouldn’t come) and finished early if it was possible (to watch Bold and Beautiful ;) – joke). These were my notes, some books, sometimes my friends’ notes. I made many breaks though. Somehow one gets ravenously hungry every half an hour when it’s time to study.
Ughhh, I’m so happy my student days are over!
I’m waiting for your replies. It applies to you, teachers and former students, as well!
My shortest exam that took the longest to prepare. While studying in my second year, I had a big exam in 19th century literature to take. Not that the subject was particularly difficult to grasp, it was just a whopper, required readings counted in tens of thousansds of pages. Time was crucial. On the day of the exam I got paranoic and decided on the spot that I wouldn’t take it. I simply told the professor I wasn’t ready yet. `You realise of course I have to mark it as failed.’, she said. ‘Please, do.’ was my answer, and she dutifully did.
As it happened I had my second chance a year later. This time the professor asked me casually about things I’d been doing all those months. We chatted a good while, then she took my credit book and signed in with the top mark.
It has been nice reading your post Basia.
A soothing one, I guess. I envy you the fireplace ;). As for exams, I’ve been a student for over 8 years now, and I can tell you that at some point there comes a time when you stop worrying or you simply just don’t care anymore, to put it bluntly ;). You realize that studying is not at all about marks.
the exams time- it’s the worst period of time for me because of the amount of food witch I eat
every single time during the preparations before the exam my mounth is “working” all the time- and not because of the speaking or something like that. once I had a law exam witch was the the worst for me because I hate learning by heart- I eat then 0,5 kg of nuts what of course i could felt very soon on my stomach.
what annoys me is that I always had to eat something sweet- simple dinner or breakfast is not enought.
usually I’m using my own notes but if it’s the subject like a law- then I have to borrow from someone :) who is more interested in that to make better notes. then I segregate it, make it shorten and more clear to me. I’m learning only during the day, sometimes I have that kind of accidents that the subject is so boring that I’m falling a sleep and I’m lying on all my notes on the bed- and that’s why I have to started preparing to the exam few days ealier- just in case :)
–> Michal
Yes, I suppose that after 8 years of studying I would have reached a similar conclusion. I just admire you that after graduating from one university you decided to start doing degree in English.
–> Anna
Yes, I remember falling asleep too :) especially over British History notes :).
And my way for not eating too much was having a fairly empty fridge. It’s difficult to ejoy eating ketchup or sunflower oil, and I was always too lazy to go out and do some shopping :). Unless it was British History, of course.
well it’s high time to write someting as I promised:)
it’s end of my session… at last… I passed all exams but scores are not good actually;/ it’s my first year and I was a bit confused of how it all works… for example professor of political economy didn’t check what we wrote on exam and even if I gave good answers I couldn’t be sure of passing… but I did somehow:)
and I don’t have other system of studying than learning by heart… it’s because there’s no other way to learn jurisprudence… all rules… some in latin;/
but now I know that this winter session was a piece of cake… I’m refering to rome’s law… God help;)
btw… I couldn’t imagine how you can fall asleep… but it was when I was in high school… and thanks to political economy I know what is boring subject;)
unfortunetly, my exam session isn’t finished, so I’m still preparing… or rather I’m trying to find some time to prepare;/ becouse of my new semester and lots of new subjects..
how I prepare?
hm..
I defininitly prefere my own notes..
so I rewrite everything;)
Krzysiu nice to see you here again… :)and good luck with exams
“My dear students – have you forgotten about the blog?! I’m still waiting for you to answer my questions in the ‘Exams’ entry.”
I put my comment here and I don’t see any reaction from you… Basiu honey have you forgotten about your dear students?? hihihihihi
Maybe someone who doesn’t come to classes any more doesn’t deserve a comment?
(OK, joking. Hi hi ;))
I’ve got a new exam story for you. I met my husband-to-be in February, just before the exam session. He was here, in Bialystok, and I was there, in Lodz. I remember that three weeks later, on Saturday, there was a difficult exam, and after that I was planning to go immediately to the train station to go to Bialystok and meet him in the evening. The …
The bloody professor was late! The exam took longer than I thought it would. And I was in a hurry for the date…
Well, what to do? Finish the exam? or leave in the middle and run to catch the train?
What do you think I did? :)
well I didn’t come lately to classes because I was sick and then I met with my partner and we celebrated my birthday:) I hope it’s good excuse:)
and about your story… well you were good student but you are marriage now!! I think you left the exam to meet with him:D am I right??;>
i think,
my dear teacher,
you finished the exam earlier (but not leave it in the middle!!! ;p)
and than you run to the station
and the train was late, so you waited about an hour! that was totally irritaiting!
am I right?
=)
My dear students,
as always you are (partly ;)) right.
I left the exam somewhere past the middle, not finished it, ran to the train station, barely made it (the train wasn’t late) in fact and had a fantastic date later :)
And passed the exam with 3+, my worst mark ever ;D
But of course I should have stayed. Students should always stay till the end and do their best. And they should come to the classes even if they’re ill or (even worse!) want to celebrate their birthday!!!
well students should do many things:) you shouldn’t leave the exam but you did… the same with me:)