How to Cram for a Final
They say that studying is a process that you need to learn in order to succeed in school – college or beyond. Well, if studying is an art, cramming for a test must be the ultimate preparation for a life of continuing education. Based on my years of experience as an undergraduate (and graduate) student, I have been able to come up with some tried and true methods for condensing days, weeks, or even months of studying into one night.
The process usually begins around six in the evening, when you realize that the time you allocated for studying ended up being used for socializing. You need to cram because:
a. You haven’t read over your notes or cracked the spine on your book
b. You didn’t take notes or buy the book, or
c. You forgot you had a class until now
This is when you realize that you’d better buckle down and get to work.
First, the atmosphere must be right. Don’t go to a quiet spot where you can think in relative peace. You must stay in your dorm or living room. That way, you can get interrupted by the phone, the doorbell, or even the other people who live with you. Some people prefer that the radio or TV be turned on, to provide background noise. I recommend that they both be on at the same time. This way, not only can your brain try to process two avenues of sound at once, but your eyes can be caught by the TV at any time.
Secondly, since you will be expending a lot of energy studying, you need to fortify yourself with some snacks and beverages. Not just any kind of food will do. You must include sugar, caffeine, fat and sodium with every serving. Some suggestions would be: chips, candy bars, Jolt cola (or Red Bull) and pizza. Save the healthy food for the next morning, when your body will crave the taste of something green.
It’s now around 9 pm. You’re contentedly munching, when you suddenly notice that your room (or apartment) is a pigsty. You didn’t realize it before, but now that it’s been brought to your attention, you must clean it up right away! And not just a superficial cleaning will do, but the walls need to be washed by hand, the tile in the bathroom has to be scrubbed with a toothbrush, and the windows need to be rubbed with Windex and newspaper.
After a few hours, the place is looking pretty good. It’s now getting close to midnight, and your next step is to find your class notes. Studying hieroglyphics for an hour forces you to the conclusion that you will never make it in the field of calligraphy. You could become a cartoonist, though, because most of the notes have pretty pictures and caricatures surrounding them. You decide that you will never waste your time taking notes again.
You get a brilliant idea for your next study technique – why not collaborate with some fellow classmates? The first one you call is too boring – he’s already studied and is in bed sleeping. The next person you call is in the same boat you are. You mumble to each other about how unfair the professor is, and why everyone seems to be asleep at 2:00 in the morning. Then, your classmate mentions “Desperate Housewives” and you spend an hour dissecting every show and star you can think of. When you hang up, you realize that you know nothing new about the class, but you’ve caught up on your quota of celebrity gossip.
Reluctantly, you turn back to your books. It’s now 3:00 am, and you brain is starting to rebel, not to mention your stomach. Reading each sentence seems like a long and tedious process, so, being smart, you only read the headings and the first and last paragraphs of each chapter. Of course, this leaves you with a distorted view of whatever your course is about, but you don’t have time to be picky. After the first three chapters, you give up. That step was too difficult.
It’s now 4:00 am and you only have two hours to sleep. You debate on whether to stay up and go to breakfast, or whether to go to bed and take the chance that you won’t wake up when the alarm goes off. You finally decide to go to bed, setting two alarm clocks, and making your apartment mates swear to wake you up in time.
At last the time for the test is near. You oversleep, grab a cold piece of pizza for breakfast, and speed to class. You arrive breathless, tired, and without a pen or pencil to take the test.
Now, I’m not saying that this method will work for everyone, but if you procrastinate and thrive on pressure, this is the cramming method for you. Many students have used this method (sometimes even successfully) to take exams. It may work for you, too!
The process usually begins around six in the evening, when you realize that the time you allocated for studying ended up being used for socializing. You need to cram because:
a. You haven’t read over your notes or cracked the spine on your book
b. You didn’t take notes or buy the book, or
c. You forgot you had a class until now
This is when you realize that you’d better buckle down and get to work.
First, the atmosphere must be right. Don’t go to a quiet spot where you can think in relative peace. You must stay in your dorm or living room. That way, you can get interrupted by the phone, the doorbell, or even the other people who live with you. Some people prefer that the radio or TV be turned on, to provide background noise. I recommend that they both be on at the same time. This way, not only can your brain try to process two avenues of sound at once, but your eyes can be caught by the TV at any time.
Secondly, since you will be expending a lot of energy studying, you need to fortify yourself with some snacks and beverages. Not just any kind of food will do. You must include sugar, caffeine, fat and sodium with every serving. Some suggestions would be: chips, candy bars, Jolt cola (or Red Bull) and pizza. Save the healthy food for the next morning, when your body will crave the taste of something green.
It’s now around 9 pm. You’re contentedly munching, when you suddenly notice that your room (or apartment) is a pigsty. You didn’t realize it before, but now that it’s been brought to your attention, you must clean it up right away! And not just a superficial cleaning will do, but the walls need to be washed by hand, the tile in the bathroom has to be scrubbed with a toothbrush, and the windows need to be rubbed with Windex and newspaper.
After a few hours, the place is looking pretty good. It’s now getting close to midnight, and your next step is to find your class notes. Studying hieroglyphics for an hour forces you to the conclusion that you will never make it in the field of calligraphy. You could become a cartoonist, though, because most of the notes have pretty pictures and caricatures surrounding them. You decide that you will never waste your time taking notes again.
You get a brilliant idea for your next study technique – why not collaborate with some fellow classmates? The first one you call is too boring – he’s already studied and is in bed sleeping. The next person you call is in the same boat you are. You mumble to each other about how unfair the professor is, and why everyone seems to be asleep at 2:00 in the morning. Then, your classmate mentions “Desperate Housewives” and you spend an hour dissecting every show and star you can think of. When you hang up, you realize that you know nothing new about the class, but you’ve caught up on your quota of celebrity gossip.
Reluctantly, you turn back to your books. It’s now 3:00 am, and you brain is starting to rebel, not to mention your stomach. Reading each sentence seems like a long and tedious process, so, being smart, you only read the headings and the first and last paragraphs of each chapter. Of course, this leaves you with a distorted view of whatever your course is about, but you don’t have time to be picky. After the first three chapters, you give up. That step was too difficult.
It’s now 4:00 am and you only have two hours to sleep. You debate on whether to stay up and go to breakfast, or whether to go to bed and take the chance that you won’t wake up when the alarm goes off. You finally decide to go to bed, setting two alarm clocks, and making your apartment mates swear to wake you up in time.
At last the time for the test is near. You oversleep, grab a cold piece of pizza for breakfast, and speed to class. You arrive breathless, tired, and without a pen or pencil to take the test.
Now, I’m not saying that this method will work for everyone, but if you procrastinate and thrive on pressure, this is the cramming method for you. Many students have used this method (sometimes even successfully) to take exams. It may work for you, too!
