So you ve missed Coronation Street, you ve learnt a new skill to put your friends to shame and now you finally know someone called Bosco it s all been worth it; but you still have that evil, inescapable end of course exam to face. There are a few things that can help you come out unscathed and smelling of expensive roses:
Look over past exam papers in preparation. While it isn t a good idea to attempt to guess what will come up; it is helpful in that you can familiarise yourself with the look of the paper, the sections and the overall layout
Sleep well and eat properly, staying up until five in the morning the night before won t do you any favours when it comes to concentrating for hours in an exam hall
On the day, write clearly and distinctly
Take five or ten minutes to read over the exam paper, decide what questions you know best
Make sure to know what the question is asking; don t immediately regurgitate an answer just because you spot a familiar word
Do the easier questions first, this will boost your confidence
Write down any relevant equations/quotes etc straight away, this will take the pressure off your memory and help you to structure your answers around them
Show your work where possible – steps leading to the answers can be just as important
Answer all questions; you can only get marks for what you ve written. Remember if you have to answer four questions carrying equal marks and you only attempt three, even if your work is worthy of publication your paper will only be marked out of 75 per cent
Don t worry about how much/little you are writing; some people will write forests of waffle, others find it easy to get their main points into a concise format everyone is different
If you re out of time, quickly jot down the main points
Try and leave two or three minutes at the end of each question to revise your answer and add any additional points you may have omitted
It may be a clich but remember it is so for a reason do your best. Taking part in a nightcourse is beneficial to your mind and adds colour to your life; and our lessons come from the journey, not the destination (but if you do get an ‘A’ maybe keep that one to yourself!)
