Study, Stress, Sleep: The Exam Experience
Sahil Jhamnani: B.Tech Automotive & Vehicle Engineering Technology, Level 3
I think I can safely say that exam season is one of the most dreaded times for a McMaster Engineering student. I mean, we already have a handful of final culminating projects to deal with and then once they’re all done, there comes 5 or 6 exams in a span of two weeks. Taking into account that many of us are a part of many clubs and teams that continue after the end of the semester, I think I can safely say that this time period is one of the most challenging times for any student. But, I would like to think it is also rather fun!
One of the major things I have missed since March 2020 is being around friends; people you trust, can be open with, and just be yourself around at all times. For me, those were the same people I always hung out with after classes, had labs with, grabbed food with, or made plans with in general. So, when COVID hit, it was fine at first because we thought it would only last a few months, however, as time went by we realized that we would finish and start another whole semester without even seeing each other. Yes, we of course can talk and hangout virtually, but we can all probably agree that this is not the same.
So, for obvious reasons, I started missing those moments we all had together, like performing labs and learning how to assemble/disassemble engines together, or carpooling to and from Mohawk/MARC (McMaster Automotive Resource Center) for a day of labs. I also specifically miss the pre-midterm and pre-exam routine we all had; a routine that I don’t think we ever missed for any of our tests. After going home after classes to rest for a little bit, we would start studying overnight. It always started with one of us booking a nice study room in Gerald Hatch Centre or McMaster University Student Center and getting there with a lot of coffee and snacks. As soon as we got there, we would get caught-up with each others’ lives. Since everyone was already very energetic from the coffee, exhausted from school, and nervous for the midterm/exam, we typically procrastinated for an hour or two (even more sometimes)! But, we would eventually realize the clock was ticking and would end up ordering some dinner, putting our earphones on, and getting some work done.
This routine presented a double-edged sword; for one, we were in a closed space with friends (basically meant to be procrastinating together), but on the other side, we were all experiencing the same emotions. This turned out to be a huge motivator to start studying. Once all of us started, we would help each other understand concepts, get into arguments about the theory we were studying, and in the end, do a bunch of practice questions together just to seal the deal (on a side note, we have once or twice stayed in those rooms overnight, and I can’t lie, it was definitely fun).
It may sound weird, but all of this is what I look forward to during midterm/exam season. Many people cannot study like this, but the idea of being surrounded by people that you can be yourself around is something I’m sure we all enjoy. For my friend group, this allowed us to teach each other about concepts and practice questions together while the entire world was sleeping. As the clock continued to tick before our tests, it felt like we had nothing else to worry about, even if we would always end up learning a lot more about each other than whatever we were studying for.
After exams were finally over, we would all go home to rest for a few hours, meet up again the next morning or night for food, and just talk about our plans for the rest of the year. The feeling of being relaxed with nothing else to worry about, and being able to breathe after exam season is the BEST, and is really when it all starts to feel like the hard year of work was worth it.
To all the people that don’t like exam season, here are some exam studying tips that I would like to share with you all that have helped my friends and I in the past:
- Create a review sheet: Take small notes as you study. Whenever I went back to review what I learned in the course, I only had to read a page or two of notes instead of skimming through all the lecture notes again.
- It’s great to take a break every now and then: Nap, go for a walk or grab a bite, this helps you maintain a certain level of productivity instead of exhausting yourself.
- Lastly, try studying with friends: It can be distracting but when done right, you all end up teaching content to each other and it helps to learn from different perspectives.
Good luck on the upcoming exam period everyone!
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