10 Great End-Sem Life Hacks for Maximum Results

They’re back. The end semester exams, the long, sleepless nights spent cramming a semester-worth of information, and the fear of failure that strikes the hearts of even the bravest of toppers. However, don’t worry, for we’ve compiled this list of hacks that you can employ to ensure your best performance. Happy end sems, and may the force be with you!

1.BeeTee? More like DT: 

We, as students, always look for excuses to celebrate. But this exam season we must make sure we have some self-control and not be lured by the ever present night outs for dance and music. Some methods of studying involve rewarding yourself after learning every topic. This reward can be any vice, like eating a sweet or watching an episode of a TV show. Remember, a reward for every chapter, not page, because at that rate you might see yourself spending another semester studying the same thing.

 

2.Stretch:

Between study sessions, remember to take time out to limber up. Long periods of sitting on a chair will tighten and immobilise your muscles, and make rehabilitation tough. It makes sense to do some simple stretches every hour or so. Even the Prime Minister, with his busy schedule, takes time out for stretches.

Credits: Rajya Sabha TV

 

3.Hit the Breaks

If you think you can study all day, think again. You’re not Captain America, after all. Take a 5-minute break after an intensive 25-minute study session. Studies show that taking regular breaks between study sessions can help you cram better, and come the big day, perform at your best.

 

4.Use the library:

You know that building near all the Academic Blocks and next to the cafeteria that you only use to escape the heat?  If you ignore the lack of seats in the GSH, and all the couples, it actually has plenty of resources that you can use for your exams. Right from previous year question papers to reference books, the library has all the tools you require for the score-boost that you so desperately need.

 

5.Revise:

Your notes are like a Christopher Nolan movie (I know, stay with me on this) in that they will reveal new details every time you rewatch them. It’s never a bad idea to get the nuances of your subject down pat; questions may come from literally anywhere.

 

6.Sleep:

Pulling off an all-nighter the day before an exam can sound extremely enticing –it might just be the difference between a B grade and an A, you say. You might even leave the exam hall thinking you’ve done very well. But then the results come, and you have used the wrong formulae, made silly calculation errors (2 + 2 = 5???) and read the questions wrong. All because that organ which sits inside your head and controls all your actions was too fatigued. Don’t be that guy—get at least 6 hours of sleep before your test.

 

7.Stock up on the Bisleri cans :  

A healthy diet they say is the portal to a healthy mind.  The two-week period during your end sems is probably the worst time to fall sick. So it is advisable to stick to hygienic options and avoid food from outside. While your taste buds might be craving for that roadside Pani Puri or Pav Bhaji, it is better to resist the urge – after all you have an entire month of vacation for making unhealthy food choices.

Credits: Eshan Shukla (@shukla__ji)

 

8.Wake up on time:

You’ve crammed an entire semester’s worth of content in 2 days. The time has now come for you to go to the exam hall and ace the paper. But only you wake up at 1 for an exam that ended at 12:30.

You don’t want to waste your December vacation studying for make-up exams because you were too busy watching United lose until 3 AM the day before the exam, do you? Make sure you are up at least one hour before the exam is supposed to start. Do whatever it takes – set 30 alarms ( on your roommate’s phone as well if necessary), tell your mom to call you, and make your hostel mates knock on your door a hundred times.

 

9.Blank 100:

Consider this situation. You’re in an exam hall all worried about your paper, and when you take a look at the question paper, you realise you can’t remember any answers. This is very common and is caused by a fleeting moment of panic and anxiety. In such situations, take a deep breath, drink some water, maybe ask to go to the bathroom, and look for questions in the paper that look familiar. This will kick your brain into gear and help you think more clearly about other questions as well.

 

10.Learn how to work the e-pad:

Even though we consider ourselves to be very technologically advanced, we fail to perform the simple frivolous task of using the e-pad correctly. After coming out of the exam, you find every student cursing the existence of it because of some glitch or malfunction. Studied or not studied, the low marks scored, are always because of the e-pad. So be smart and visit the library to understand its functioning correctly. This time we shouldn’t be losing time because of not knowing how to copy a figure from the question to the answer box.

If you are in the third or fourth year, we’ll have you know that the rest of years envy you, and miss their pen and paper.

Pro tip– Shaking your stylus like a pen when it stops working is not going to make it work again.

We hope that these tips will help you get through ( if not ace ) your exams. Always envision the light at the end of the tunnel. In our case, it is going back to our homes and families. On a deeper note, it is the knowledge you gain that matters. Exam grades are temporary, but education is permanent.

May the odds be ever in your favour.

All the best!

— Written By Sanjana Bharadwaj, Sudarshan Sivakumar and Avaneesh Jai Damaraju for MTTN

— Edited by Aarohi Sarma for MTTN

— Featured Image by Naman Ohri and Ritwika for MTTN

 

 

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