Hello My People,
How is everyone doing? Winie is fabulous
Today, we are going to discuss something that is very important to every student in the world. Exams or tests literally become our middle name in school. They are what we need to move from one level to the next in our academics. Failing exams/tests are very painful for most people; find out how to deal with a failed test by clicking here. A failed test is not because you are not smart enough. It might not even be because you didn’t prepare well. A major factor that contributes to people not doing well in exams/tests is ‘POOR TIME MANAGEMENT’. I have been a victim of that so many times.
I have also learned some lessons, I will be sharing with you today. Here are 10 ways that will help you properly manage your time during an exam/test.
#1 – Be Well Prepared
This is really the first thing to do. If you don’t study well for an exam, there’s no time management skill that will make a difference. Taking a test requires two major things: recall and understanding. You have to recall what you have read or heard, and have to understand the questions as well as applications of what you remember. A major time waster during examinations is trying to remember or simply not knowing the answers to questions.
#2 – Sleep Well The Night Before
Okay, Winie has come again with her sleep-gospel. But really, if you don’t sleep very well before an exam, you will be confused or tired or just not recall well. As much as possible, stay away from till-day-break (TDB) study. Try and pace yourself properly, so that on the day before the test, you don’t have to study too much and can get enough sleep. I once studied all night for a test. When it was time for the test, I could barely see my paper. I had to sleep for a few minutes before writing. That decision cost me.
#3 – Write Down Ideas/Cues
This is helpful for people that crammed before an exam or just feel like they have everything mixed up in their minds. Take a few minutes and write down those things as soon as the test starts (note: not before the test; it’s cheating if you take any unapproved paper or notes to a test). I must warn, this could be a major time-killer. So, keep it short and simple; basically, just give yourself cues to remember. Writing down ideas saves time because if you get to a question that needs it, you don’t have to spend time, trying to remember
# 4 – Scan The Questions
This is a quick glance through the questions to get a general sense of the structure and the intensity.This is not the time to answer or start thinking. If you do that, you might waste your time. In scanning through the questions, you identify questions that have a lot of sub-questions, how the topics are distributed, how the points are distributed, where there are essay-type answers or calculations or multiple choice questions. You could also identify where the easier questions are located and where the harder questions are. This should take you a couple of minutes; it’s really a quick glance. I find this helpful because it helps with other steps and it also helps mentally prepare you for what is required. I have taken exams where I spent most of my time answering harder questions, meanwhile simpler or multiple choice questions were at the end and could have gotten me more points.
#5 – Divide Your Time
If you have 1 hour and 60 multiple choice questions, it’s pretty easy to note that each question should take you one minute or less. However, dividing time is not always that simple. You have to keep in mind that you want to use the allocated time to at least attempt all the questions that have been asked. You can divide time by the method above, or assign more time to questions that have a higher level of difficulty or questions that require calculations, or questions that require more writing. Be tactical about it, and stick to it. It’s always good to take a test with a watch. However, most times, there are timers on the test-screen or a clock somewhere in the room.
#6 – Start Your Test IMMEDIATELY
As soon as you finish scanning through, start your test. Don’t start cracking your brain for a hard question you saw or get discouraged if the test is not what you anticipated. Just start answering the questions to the best of your ability. Don’t waste any time doing anything that is not directly related to the test you are taking.
#7 – Read Carefully
When you start answering your questions, do not be in a hurry. Try to be patient and read your question at least two times. A lot of exam questions are not necessarily difficult. But, if you don’t understand what is being asked, there is no way you won’t waste your time overthinking an answer. Avoid answering more than one question at the same time. It’s a bad idea and will most likely get you confused
#8 – Skip Questions You Don’t Know
A lot of people make this mistake. If you have a lot of questions still ahead, there is no reason to spend time trying to figure out a question you don’t know. If you get to a question, that is difficult to understand, or you simply don’t know the answer, please SKIP to the next.
#9- Forget About Order
You must not answer the questions in any particular order. As a matter of fact after scanning through your questions, start from ANYWHERE. I recommend, you start from the simpler questions or the answers that are still fresh in your memory, but it doesn’t matter. Just make sure you are moving as the time ticks.
#10 – Always Do A Quick Half-Time Appraisal
We see this when we watch sports or games; the same principle applies. After half of your assigned time has passed, pause and check how far you have gone. You might discover at this time, that you have not evenly distributed your time, or you can see you are doing well and on track. Regardless of what the case is, this appraisal will help you plan better and you will most likely finish the test well. This is a very short appraisal. Don’t overthink or over analyze.
Exams/Test are demanding, but good time management could make the difference between passing or failing. I hope this helped. Share any other tips you have in the comment section. Don’t forget to share this post with other students.
Have a Winning-Day
Winie