So are you an engineering student? Just like me! Tomorrow is your exams and you have not even touched the book yet? So cheer, this blog is for students like us only. Scholars (mostly girls) please stay away.
Have you have already given up thinking, “What the hell can I do at this moment? Tomorrow is exams!” Think again! You are engineering student & last night studies are every engineering student’s epitome. Every engineering student has used this last night study technique once in their life. After all, according to a famous Facebook page, only engineering students can understand the study of last night!
Are you worried how you’ll clear your papers in the upcoming examinations? I have seen many engineering students who get K.T in more than the limit needed to pass the year. It is different in different universities in India.
For example, the university in which I’ve studied from allows you three backlogs to carry forward to the next year. If you get more than three KTs, you get a year drop. Thus, being an engineering drop-out in my university was like a norm. More and more students were pre-determined to take the KTs in advance if they find a subject very tough to clear.
It is the case with all engineering students, if you cannot clear a subject now, hold it for later. Even I’ve done this many times.
That monster in my engineering was the subject of “Engineering Mathematics – III” or simply M3. Actually, most of the students take M3 as the option to pass in next semester to focus on other subjects. Even I cleared my M3 in next attempt.
It’s not like any tough subject, but as they say in our university, “M3 nikal gaya to samjho aadhi degree ho gayi”. That literally means – If you clear M3, you almost get your half (engineering) degree. So I am speaking with my experience, never slog on your papers to clear in next semester.
Try to clear each and every paper in the same semester itself. Do you find it tough to do it? Read the following tips so you’ll find it is so easy to clear your papers even if your exams are tomorrow and you’ve not even touched the book yet.
Step 1. First of all, calm down!
Keep Calm Because It’s Late Night Study
In a scenario if you have not studied anything before, and just a few hours are remaining for the exam, most of the student panic big time. The mere sight of those fat books makes all your confidence go down.
But wait guys, these books have much more crap than your real syllabus. So if you are tensed, calm down. Of all the students I have seen who pass their exams by last night’s study, one thing is common in all – they do not worry about the result. They just calm down and bit relaxed about tomorrow’s exam. They know that they’ve not studied the entire semester, so whatever is the result in tomorrow’s exam, they are ready for it.
Just relax and think you can pass, with just a bit of effort. Read the next point for some motivation.
Step 2. If You Have Already taken this as KT, Think Again, You can Pass This
I Can Do It!
Have you already taken this subject for granted? Please do not do this. At least try studying it, who knows, you can pass with flying colors. Yes, it can be possible. It has been done before. See this example.
I have seen one of my friend who had taken one subject as open KT even before the exam. His reason was “It’s too tough, I’ll concentrate on other subjects.” Next day his paper was at 10 AM in the morning. After sleeping the whole day, at 5 PM, he thought to open the book and study whatever he can, not for passing the exam, but just as a time pass. Anyways, he was sure to fail.
He took it reading the book because all his friends were studying and he had already slept a lot. Plus, his mobile was in the repair shop. So he had nothing to do so he just took the book. After just reading the index for one hour, started reading the topics. Kept on reading till 1 AM till night. Next day, he appeared for the exam and to everyone’s shock he sat for full 3 hours, as opposed to his planning to leave exam hall after the first hour. When results came, he was the third topper in the subject.
Some say he just use to fool around people, but I say he was my close friend, and I know he didn’t study before that day. So open the book and study. Who knows? You can become another example!
Step 3. Open the book, even if you don’t know a single word of the subject.
Open the Book
In case you are one of those who has not even turned single page of the subject, you are not alone! Indian Engineering students know how to handle pressure, no matter whatever is the situation. Open the book of the subject, don’t catch your head seeing the contents.
The contents are specially designed in such a way that goes bouncer out of head, but you be firm that you’ll try to read. Divide the topics according to time. And set a goal that you’ll read it, no matter whatever distractions you face, you aim to complete the reading.
Even if everything goes above your head, don’t just slam the book away, you need to create a flow for that. When you get that flow of reading, everything else around would become less important. Keep trying to avoid the urge to close the book and sleep.
It always happened with me. Whenever I use to think I’ve to study, I used to get sleep. I have discovered by living an engineering student’s life that one feels to sleep the most during exam times. Those who overcome this, come out as winner.
Step 4. Take help of a scholar
Although you do not categorize yourself as one of the scholar students of your batch. The aim of bespectacled scholars is always to top, while last benchers like us, will do anything for 40 marks. They cry on securing 80% why they didn’t get 85%. While we jump around in joy just by seeing we have condone passed.
Scholars are very helpful this time, although only few would help at this hour. They might be busy revising the book for a 10th time, but still give‘studied-nothing’ look. We use to tease our scholar friend, “We know you won’t rest, give some rest to the book instead.”
Consult a scholar and tell her (it’s mostly her) to mark a few important questions. If you have some basic doubts (we know the whole subject is a doubt for you), you can take the help.
Step 5. Study the question bank
Search the frequently asked questions in exams, and practice them like hell. Say, there are three questions that are very important from exam point of view, focus on those questions like they are definite exam questions. Focus on the most important questions, and prepare them in such a way, that if they come in exam you should squeeze out maximum possible marks from them.
You can do this way Mark most two important questions of every chapter. If you have five chapters in the subject, there will be a total of ten questions in that. Just focus on this questions only, very accurately. Suppose if only 5 of them come in exams, you can at least write something than to leave the paper blank.
If you increase the quantity of questions in each chapter, say three per chapter, according to a five-chapter syllabus, you’d have finished 15 questions. Out of this 15, at least 7 must have to be asked in the exam. If you prepared the questions well, and if you get 6 marks for each question, you will surely cross the limit 40.
Step 6. Find some notes of the reputed teacher
Take the easiest book that explains everything in a very simple way. Do not complicate the things. Take the notes of any teacher that is famous for his/her question bank. Focus only on that and try to keep your focus on one thing.
Step 7. Take one chapter at time
The most common mistake that students do while last night studies are giving up if they see time is running and they still have not completed the first chapter. But go slow, keep going. Once you get the flow of study, everything will fall into place. And take one chapter at a time!
Step 8. Focus on diagrams
If your subject has lots of diagrams and figures, practice them first. Because any answer with a diagram automatically increases its value, even if you right rubbish in theory. The examiners check the diagram, first, and if they find it correct, they will not go into much details of reading the theory.
Actually, this is one of the best-kept secrets of cracking an engineering paper last night. Practice all the diagrams perfectly, then during exams, draw them as neat as if you are M.F Hussain, and examiners generally have this notion that if the student has drawn such pretty diagrams, (s)he must be a scholar, and checks the paper with that mindset, increasing your chances not only to cross the desired 40 mark but scoring well enough as well.
Step 9. Do not try to mug up. Understand the concepts.
If you try to mug up answers, you’ll end up forgetting it. “Ratta Maar” is a good technique for brainless scholars, or who has a lot of time to ratta-fying things. But at the last moment, do not use ‘ratta’ technique at all. Try to understand the concepts and write them in your own words, that’s the best way in last night study.
Step 10. Time management for questions
Suppose you’ve targeted 2 questions for an hour, which is possible. If you have let’s say more 7-8 hours remaining for exams, take out 2 hours as miscellaneous (your bathing, toilets, blah blah), you have only 5 hours. Utilize these 5 hours like a battlefield, if you use them properly, you win the battle.
If you waste these five hours, you lose. Take this exam as a battle of three hours, and the preparations that you need to do before that is preparations before the war. Focus on fewer questions, but do it perfectly. It is better to focus on two fully correct answers than five erroneous answers. Revise on what you studied, rather than focusing on more.
Step 11. Do not let distractions affect you, keep your mobile away
Passing an engineering exam in one night is possible, many have done it, but it needs some effort. But biggest distractions are procrastination and social media. Forget about WhatsApp and Facebook, they are your biggest time wasters. The best thing to do is to turn your mobile switched off, and just immerse yourself in books and notes. That’s tough for today’s youngster, but you can do this. Also, do not let any other distractions come your way like friends, hunger etc.
Step 12. Stay calm, and believe in yourself.
We know everybody can do this. Just they need self-belief for doing this. Also, if they are able to control their distractions and focus on one thing, it’s very easy to crack exam even at the last hour.
Well, this article does not promote last night studies. Because there is no better substitute for daily studies. This article is written for those who have given up any hope clearing the subject, as it’s last night of exam. This is just to motivate them that due to some factors if you haven’t studied, you can still pass the exam in last night. However, we don’t encourage you to make this as a habit. Last day is for revisions, not for starting the subject.
Anyways, good luck!
Tell me from above tips which tips you are using to conquer your Exam.
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