Exams are officially over for me, and I guess all I really have to say is... GOOD RIDDANCE!
Don't get me wrong, I love university/college/school (yeah, I'm one of those people), but damn. If those weren't the most labour intensive revision (study) sessions that I have ever had. Spending weeks at a time going over things you thought you knew, and even still you feel like you need to do more. The atmosphere in the library, the learning zone, even the bars, makes you feel like you have been inadequately preparing. So, what is one to do when someone comes up to you professing their faux-fears for their upcoming exam in hopes to find some comfort if you appear to have studied less?
Two words. Method Acting.
Not kidding folks.
If there is one thing that I have learned from the studying techniques here, it is that it is better to fake your confidence than to be humble about your knowledge. It sounds a little backwards at first, even a little mean, but trust me, there is some truth to the silly sounding phrase, "Think it. Be it".
Don't just take my word for it either, ever ready with the psychological evidence, check these facts out.
1. Acting confident, even if you aren't, will help better your chances of ingesting knowledge from your revision sessions better. Why? Smiling, laughing, generally being in a good mood release helpful chemicals into your system that keep you more alert and attentive to what you are trying to remember or learn. Even if you are faking it.
2. Chances are, people will be more likely to ask you a question if you appear confident, or bring up a worry about a part of the exam that they are shaky on. Teaching, or explaining to them will only help yourself.
3. The day of your exam, if you have been studying with a group, meet up a couple of hours prior to the exam if possible (obviously I am not advocating waking up at 6am if you have a 9:30am exam). Not so much to go over new things, but to polish knowledge and most importantly, pep talks. Pep talks are not just for the huddles kids. Even something as simple as complementing each other on the progress you have made will go miles in combating pre-exam stomach butterflies. Something I, personally, have a lot of trouble with.
Note: There does have to be something behind your collected swagger! Being outwardly confident about your knowledge to ward off unneeded doubt is one thing, but talk with no walk is another.
With that said. I can leave the talk of exams in the dust. Further queries can be directed in the form of comments or emails. Honest answers always promised ;-)
In other happenings, LANCASTER IS GORGEOUS RIGHT NOW. Not too hot, not too cold. Just right for BBQs, frisbee, football, and generally lazing about the campus. I will admit, as a native Floridian, calling 70 degrees hot feels slightly blasphemous to me, but it really is great to experience a 'pleasant' summer weather pattern. Make sure, if you are here, to take advantage of the grassy area right in front of campus that offers spectacular opportunity to escape and take in some R&R. I have included pictures of said area, taken today. More to come later.
After exam celebrations have been somewhat postponed until after my fellow flatmates finish their exams... Gives me some time to myself though to do some lazy leisure stuff before that crazyness abounds into my life.
I think that's about it for now, if I think of anything else in the next couple of days, I have plenty of time to jot it down now! Later.
Wouldn't even think you were at uni, would you?
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