spango0 said:
Often I am told that prelim does not matter aside from your end of term report and rankings etc...
I however, am what many people would call a skeptic. Well not skeptic, I know they dont count for anything more than this year, BUT what I am worried about is how I am going to cope next year!
You see I have a number of problems! First of all I am crap st studying, which is basically why I am going to fail most of my prelim exams (currently underway).
I have very high goals, and honestly believe I can achieve them, and really the only thing stopping me from doing so is myself. without flattering myself too much, I must say that I am a smart kid, and really honestly get annoyed when absolute morons beat me in exams etc, when all they have done is memorise content, not understanding an ounce of it!
Furthermore, I need to get cracking on year 12. I know its the content that counts! I hope to regiment for myself a totally revised and revisited study timetable. My dad is hopefully going to buy me a nice new mac for my room, where I already have basically the best study place I know of (yes, the only thing stopping me is myself). I know that I can achieve, all I need to do is stop procrastinating and apply! I NEED MOTIVATION! I loose sight of my goals very easily! It almost pains me even! one day I am the perfect student, all motivated to do well, then the next it has all gone out the door and I'm back to being me!
What I think I will end up doing is just locking myself in my room for an hour at a time, and each day type up the days notes (as I have shithouse handwriting) in order to remember them. I want to figure out a way to study sequentially throughout the year, such that by the time exams come, all I need to do is read my notebooks and do practice papers...
Anyway, if you have bothered to read all of that, any thoughts and/ or ideas (most of all help) would be greatly appreciated!
(oh and its my first post here, one of a great many to come!)
I am guessing that you have finished your prelim exams by now. If you went shit in them just forget about them. I am finding myself in a similar position- i did not do any study before the prelim exams and my results are shit, however you can either a) let the shit marks annoy/stress you or b) enjoy getting your results back when they are shit to give you inspiration to study harder. I chose b) am am really happy that I done 0 studt for these exams.
When you say you dont know how to study, there is a simple answer. Everyone is different from one another and a study method could be perfect for person X but terrible for person Y. You need to find the best way to study for yourself. Aslo what works for one subject may not work for another. Please tell us your subjects. In case our subjects are similar, here is what I plan to do:
English- make detailed summary notes from the start of the course, read/watch texts more than once (it is amazing on how much you can pick up on when you are reading it for the 2nd and 3rd times!), do all the homework the teacher sets and do practice essays before assessments/tests
Economics- make summaries + definitions as I learn the content in class, record all summary notes and listen on a reguar basis- do all h/w teacher sets including practice essays.
Maths- tutor once per week- do all h/w + examples from text until I understand all the concepts and tricks, make formula list and stick infront of study area. Important: listen in class!!
Biology- Do pracs properly in class and do summary notes + record them and listen to on regular basis. Understand all key terms. Do example questions from Dot Point book- recomend to buy this!!
Geography- study notes + record and listen. Also work on geo skills.
Studies of Religion- make very detailed summaries using the syllabus dot points + record and listen to notes. also try extended response questions when no homework.
MOST IMPORTANT: Organisation- If you are an unmessy writer try changing pens but most importantly SLOW DOWN your speed- this is what helped me. I keep on writing gradually faster and now I can write really fast but at the same time neat. Also get a folder with the current topics to take to school and then at home have a plastic filing tub for each subject with dividers for each topic.
With assignments if you screw up in one- it will fuck up your UAI- put 110% of your effort into these even if it requires an all-nighter to finish it. Also get good at microsoft office and making visually attractive pages- the new '08 version has loads of new features. Add pictures and dont make writing too big otherwise it will look tacky- i tend to use 9-11 sized font with verdana style. dont use any fancy writing either and keep all the text black.
With inspiration/motivation there is nothing I can say that will make you instantly motivated. Inspiration comes and goes for me BUT you have to think long term. I have a picture of the day that the UAI's are released and I log onto the computer and see a number (i hope its good) but you need to remember that the people who get over 90 work reall hard. So you cant just become inspired so just forget about your emotions and concerntrate on one thing: study. When you are studying clear your mond of all thoughts and put all your mind power to remembering the information.
Also set up your room to be a good study area. If your room is big enough get two desks- one for study and one with a computer on it. Only use the computer for assignments and typing summaries (if you dont write them) and never study at the computer desk. Also go the SAM, type in the marks you want and take a screenshot of what UAI you want and stick it up infront of where you study. Also print out from microsoft outlook a calander with 1 A4 page = 1 month all the way up to the hsc. write in all the importnat stuff and cross out the days with a highlighter. as time passes by more and more crosses will appear until there is only a few unhighlighted pages left- this is when you really need to study.
To study good you need to get fit. If you play a sport that is good but make sure it is phisically challenging and you feel tired after excercise. If you play no sport start running 2-3 times a week even if each session is only 20 minutes. if you are fat you might consider walking. Also drink lots of water (2-3 litres per day) and try not to eat unhealthy foods such as coke, chips, some chocolate is ok
and eat lots of fruit. Being healthy means your mind is healthy and you learn better.
Before school have a big brekfast to last you through the day. every morining i have a huge bowl of muslea + yoghurt, milk and sustagen, juice, toast and a banana + an apple. After having this I can concerntrate much beter at school and have more energy to excercise in afternoons.
Be competative with all the results you get back and always look for ways to improve HOWEVER, do NOT brag about your results and dont ever tell anyone what you got, if they ask tell them but other from that dont say anything
Set goals e.g. top 5 in all subjects or >80% etc. I think that is all I have to say now- fuck, i cant believe i just wasted all that time typing this. I hope you find something useful out of all of this. If you want inspiration you should read lance armstrongs autobiographis
“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” Lance Armstrong
Oh, i just thought of something else- you need the right equipment to start off with. Go out and but 50-60 on new stationary of you need it. buy decent pens, lecture pads, rulers, folders, pads of paper for exams and everything else you will need. In your study area, you should have a good quality, bright light- it is worth paying a bit extra for a good quality desk lamp because you concerntrate better with more lighting and you tend to get les tired when you have all-nighters.
