Study VS Sleep (1 Viewer)

[ellebelle]

I've got exams tomorrow (eeek) and i'm deciding whether to stay up really late cramming every bit of knowledge i can, or to go to bed early and get a good night's sleep. Which is the better option? i mean if i stay up, i'll probaby learn more, but then i'll be so tired the next day i can't think straight.

 

[miguel_fugdey]

sleep ellebelle, sleep! sleep is fantastic!, wake up early, and fit in some cram early before the exam, so ur on a roll for the exam

 

[ellebelle]

Yeah i might. Soon. I can't wake up early to cram, i usually sleep throught my alarm system (system = the alarm on my mobile, my clock radio, AND my stereo all set to go off at the one time). i'll be lucky to make it to the 8:45am exam in time.

 

[miguel_fugdey]

well in that case i gave bad advice! baaaaad advice

 

[Huy]

to be honest, i don't think 'cramming sessions' do much good.
that's my opinion however.

my attitude towards exams are:
"i've learnt all that i could have learnt, in the time that i had been given"

because when you think about it, cramming for the last 5 minutes prior to an exam, i don't think you'll be able to memorise a great deal (if truth be known, i have done this on many occassions in the past but to no avail).

it is also true that you cannot 'push information out of your brain' as such, but what you will find is you will try to memorise 'new' information in the last 5-10 minutes before an exam is due, rather than focusing on your strengths, ask yourself:

what do i know?
how can i explain, what i know?

it depends on the subject,
but once you start writing one word down, you can create a mindmap (brainstorm) with various other areas that you had thought you'd forgotten (i hope that made sense ).

on a personal note,
i've always studied until midnight,
had five to six hours rest,
got an early start (say 5am to 6:45am studying, when your brain is at it's freshest), and having breakfast (NEVER forget/skip breakfast, it's the most important meal of the day!!!)

you'll feel confident walking into an exam,
but don't become arrogant or cocky
(i'm guilty of this ... it's in my nature *at times*)

but what you must remember is,
you've learnt all you could, focus on your strengths, if you're worried about not-knowing things, try to fudge it (although i don't recommend this, at least you will get more marks writing a couple of sentences or lines gaining 1 or 2 'initial' marks as opposed to a zero mark for that question).

i hope this helps

 

[Almighty Jafar]

you only got exams for short periods. I advise that you don't worry about the much sleep you had previously and use you're brain power to study- then you will remember it straight away from last night when you wake up to do the exam- i did it and my memory was restored quickly

 

[tooheyz]

yeah cramming is good. i guess everyone has their own study methods.... i study hardcore before the exam... the stress keeps me going.

but yeah. just sleep early and wake up early to cramm

 

[bobo123]

i support cramming
i wake up at 3am the morning before the exam and squeeze the textbook in my head
then i go into the exam and rip straight up the rankings to dux...............
ok im dreaming.........

 

[AGB]

had an exam this morning....hadnt studied all weekend or any of the days be4 it cept for 6 hours last night (9pm - 3am)

guess ill just hav to wait and c if it worked

 

[ballerinabarbie]

ummmmmm a question to all who are in favour of cramming - how can u feel confident going into an exam when u have only studied for a couple of hours right before the exam?
i guess we all learn in different ways, but i like to have been studying for at least a couple of weeks before exams start - that way i go in feeling i know something... hmmmm i dunno

 

[Butterfly_Wings]

It's a personal thing...some people can't think on no sleep-others almost seem to thrive on it. During the HSC I would cram til the early hours of the morning, and it stressed me out big time because there was pretty much no break from ut, but for me-thats not a bad thing going into an exam. (Besides...seeings as I left everything to the last minute, I didn't really have much choice! )But do what works for you-theres no use staying up til 4am studying if nothing is seeping in anyway.

 

[Juliet]

Cramming is great. I try not to do it...honestly Everytime an exam comes round i say....' this time i will study properly' and everytime i end up cramming nightbefore. Cramming on the way too school really helps me. All the information gets into my head for a few hours, then the next day its all gone. If anyone did Business in Yr 11: i studied all the financial statements on the way to school ( balance sheet, cash flow etc), and in the end did best at that section than anyother.

 

[tooheyz]

seems like everyone seems to work better under less time and heaps of pressure. i must say it works for me.

but i wake up the next morning, and forgot everything i memorised.

 

[Rahul]

Originally posted by ToOhEyZ
seems like everyone seems to work better under less time and heaps of pressure. i must say it works for me.

yeh i too work only when i need to...ie- night before an assessment

but if its an exam i usually get up early and try to revise wat i had studied earlier the nights before.....hopefully i did study at least the night before

 

[kini mini]

I support sleep

I'm not a crammer, probably because I didn't do subjects that really required it. I did sort of cram cases for chem & phys in the days before, but I went to sleep at 10.30 or so the night before

 

[mannnnndy]

I support getting a decent sleep b4 an exam. You dont have to sleep for 12 hours and be fully rested, but just make sure you get the minimum your body needs to be refreshed (for me its about 7 hours) and in the morning do light revision, so that way your brain wont be overworked by the time you get to the exam. Also, like someone already mention, EAT BREAKFAST. If you dont you'll be feeling hungry throughout the exam and your brain wont work as well. And DONT have something like a chocolate bar for a 'sugar hit' b4, because you'll get the sugar hit, but then you'll get the sugar low which is not worth the short energy boost.

 

[pri]

Originally posted by ellebelle
Yeah i might. Soon. I can't wake up early to cram, i usually sleep throught my alarm system (system = the alarm on my mobile, my clock radio, AND my stereo all set to go off at the one time). i'll be lucky to make it to the 8:45am exam in time.

my alarm system consists of 2alarms ringing 10 minutes apart, that way if I missed the first (clock) the second (very annoying watch) alarm will ring. And the secong one is usualy right next to my ear so I rarely miss it.

never have your alarms ringing at the same time, thats the best advice I can give....

 

[Butterfly_Wings]

lol at the alarm systems-I do that too.

Phase 1-my Cd player comes on.
Phase 2- A few minutes later, my mobile phone alarm goes off.
Phase 3- If I accidentally switch my alarm off and fall back asleep, or hit the snooze too many times, my wind up alarm clock with the most annoying ring ever comes on. At that point, it's a matter of "If you don't get out of bed within 2 secs and totally rush to get ready-you'll miss the train." I also place that alarm on the other side of my bedroom, so I am FORCED to get out of bed in order to turn it off.

 

[Lord Ac]

9 hours sleep every nite.

Dont change your normal patterns during exam period.

Ac

 

[Butterfly_Wings]

Originally posted by Lord Ac
9 hours sleep every nite.

Dont change your normal patterns during exam period.

Ac

I disagree...I think you do have to change them a bit if you plan to do well. I'm not saying you have to kill yourself, but get used to the idea that you'll be feeling pretty second hand by the time the exams are over.