Only a few days left and there’s a lot to complete. Your other friends have finished revision number 10 and you are still struggling with your theorems. A bit of smart studying can go a long way in helping you secure the percentage you want. So regardless of whether you’ve scored a distinction in your preliminary exams or you’re looking to scrape through with a steady eye on the 35-mark limit, here are some smart-studying tips from people who have used them and fared pretty well.
“The answer lies in the formula ‘Minimum input and maximum output’,” said Syed Qasim Mehdi, a media professional, who claims to have studied much less than his peers in the board exams and secured a decent 60 per cent in his SSC board exams in 2001.
“At this stage, you need to take stock of situation. Analyse what the topics and chapters you’ve studied already are. If you think you have fared well, revise those. Also, while revising, write down in a book rather than rote-learn them, especially with Maths,” he added.
Systematic planning is the way forward, said Shilpa Lakhani, whose 82 per cent wasn’t a result of months of preparations but smart last-minute studying. “If you have limited time, don’t try to learn everything. Study important topics — your gut feeling plays an important role here — to perfection,” she said, adding that if you still have time on your hands, you can leaf through other chapters. “Do not, however, read each and every chapter. It doesn’t work and will get you even more confused,” said Lakhani.
Lakhani advises taking up subject-wise study slots: “For instance an early-morning tranquil session worked perfectly for me.” She added that a student should take up one subject at a time. You can unwind by doing Maths problems — they don’t ask you to jog your memory cells and can actually be refreshing, she said.
{{/usCountry}}Lakhani advises taking up subject-wise study slots: “For instance an early-morning tranquil session worked perfectly for me.” She added that a student should take up one subject at a time. You can unwind by doing Maths problems — they don’t ask you to jog your memory cells and can actually be refreshing, she said.
{{/usCountry}}Mehdi sums up the approach, “Never be short on confidence. Also, when you’re ill prepared, it’s advisable not to talk to your peers about what they’ve done. It’ll affect your morale.”