One challenge I had as a student was preparing early before the examination timetable was out. There was this illusion of time, and I kept procrastinating until the exam week approached. It was often the fire-brigade kind of reading while preparing for exams. A little detail about myself as a student. I owned only a few books with a few jottings in them, I read for just few minutes and I'm done grasping the entire notebook, I didn't believe in garbage in , garbage out kind of answers, I hated statistics with its numerous formulas that one wonders which is applicable to certain problem solving.
As a student I didn't experience exam fright, not because I was prepared for the exams, but because I believed there was always something I can write- that was one of my motivations. As a medical related student, most of our exams were filled with either an English word or some terminologies which I was familiar with. I knew all I needed was to understand the question, then the answer would find its way to me. Sometimes I jokingly tell my friends I can't fail any exams as long as the question is asked in English. None of them understood this, but I had this belief, that whatever we are taught was crafted from an English word and that itself provides a clue to the answers if we can think.
Image is mine
One other ways I stayed motivated is; Staying calm when everything looks cloudy. Have you been in an examination hall when suddenly everything you've read goes blank?. I know panicking doesn't solve it, so I stay calm and move on to the next question. I don't force myself to answer a particular question because I once read it, I only do so when I feel relaxed enough to remember everything or most of what I read on that topic. I often tell myself "it's okay to forget, but in a little while, you'll remember them again". Unfortunately sometimes I don't remember it until after the exams, but I don't force myself to answer it. If it's an objective question, I answer the ones I know and then compare it to the ones I don't to see if I have a chance. If the ones I know are more(which often is) I stay calm and try to answer the rest by logic and if it's the reverse, I hope my prayers come through for me. In conclusion, I'll say my motivation plan is using positive reinforcement by cultivating positive mindset and visualizing success.
