Surviving your exams

The first banquet took place, the parties stopped, the atrium and the hallways are a bit more quiet, we know what that signals: exams! Not just any exam, and not for all of us: the math dugga for the småttingar! We tried to relive our very first dugga at Handels in order to come up with some valuable advice for you, the small but mighty. We are rooting for you and hope that our tips will help you handle it like a pro.

Study smarter, not harder

Yes it’s important to feel prepared on the day of the exam, but getting proper sleep, meals and some relaxation will help equally in getting the grade you deserve. Studying well does not necessarily equate studying a lot. Reading the whole course book is rarely the best way to achieve your ambitions, try instead to do exercises and practice exams so you learn how to use the knowledge that you have.

Friends are your best friends when preparing for exams.

Planning in some study sessions with your course mates can actually help you a lot. Not only is it a bit more relaxing than pulling your hair over practice questions by yourself, but it also gives you the opportunity to ask questions and double check that none of you have misunderstood any essential concepts. 

Consider the aspects you’re most worried about

The easiest way to counter any challenge is to be prepared for the worst, and by figuring out what stresses you out before the exam you can prepare for it. Are you scared of running out of battery for the calculator? Get spare batteries. Worried about that one really challenging chapter? Look it up on youtube or somewhere where you can get it explained in an alternative way. Things will work out, don’t worry.

Bring your exam fika, and most importantly, water

I tend to bring more than necessary in regards to fika, usually some coffee, fruits and one of those one serving cottage cheese packs. I rarely eat everything during the exam, but it can be really helpful if you get lower blood sugar or start to lose focus. But more importantly you should bring a decent bottle of water. You’re going to sit down and focus for a long time, you’re going to get thirsty, and it can also help if you start coughing from the suffocating pressure.

Time margin for finding the X

SSE can be a bit of a labyrinth in the beginning, especially when you have attended only a handful of seminars, all in the same rooms. Think about this while setting your alarm, arriving earlier can make the treasure hunt of finding room 320 less stressful. Who wants to run from one end of the corridor to the other 5 minutes before the exam starts? (hint: you can’t do that anyways on the 7th floor) Besides, keeping a time margin for finding the room can also give you time to use the bathroom or do whatever you might need that could otherwise take time away from the exam. Also be careful with your time during the exam, it’s okay to skip questions and do the ones you’re really confident about. It’s better than wasting your time on questions that will give you little to no points.

“Is it possible to study for a test in one day?”

If your search history has an entry similar to the one above, let me provide the answer: no, it is not. Don’t even try, you will waste your day and on the exam all the information in your head will be a huge knot you won’t be able to untangle. Constant studying is the key. I think we have all reached that conclusion more or less “the hard way”. 

“This is your first exam at Handels...”

Yes, you might have heard or thought about that. It is your first and certainly not the last. Some people say the result influences you psychically: passing your first exam boosts your confidence, while failing it demoralizes you. That’s a bit of a stretch, it is really not that important. We all have our own ways of getting through life, and some of us need more tries to get it right. Have you spent too much time at the pub and didn’t study enough? Don’t worry, there are 2 retakes coming up, you will pass it some time. There are no retakes for parties, though.

Don’t forget to celebrate!

Speaking of parties… It is very important to reward yourself! Take Monday off, hang out with your friends and enjoy the milestone of having written your first exam at Handels! Off to the next one!