When we were in school, exam time was something we all feared. That’s because, in India, exams are no less than the academic version of the Hunger Games and Mortal Kombat combined. It’s a fight to the finish. And like any fight, there were some crazy things we did while preparing for our final showdown. Namely:
1. From a chapter a week, to rushing through the entire syllabus in an hour.
But of course, that’s like musical chairs with a single chair. There’s only room for one. Once one chapter’s done, the previous one’s out the window.
2. We call up our friends to find out how much they’ve done.
Because misery loves company. But then, you call a friend who’s on his second round of revision.
3. For the first time in the school year, we create a schedule.
After all, being organized helps. But then we end up spending more time making a timetable than actually studying.
4. We reacquaint ourselves with every guide book.
We’ve all spent late nights running through piles of them. Those abridged versions of mankind’s knowledge have been a life saver for many a student.
5. Or just head straight to the sample papers.
And as we do, we just hope the people setting the paper don’t throw in something new.
6. We try the textbooks, but just stick to the important bits.
But then you wonder, why would they put parts that weren’t important in the book? And which parts were they anyway?
7. After that doesn’t work, we head to our notes.
Assuming we’ve always been diligent in taking them. Looks like that “All Day Book Cricket Championship” wasn’t such a good idea after all.
8. And once all that fails, we just stick to last year’s question paper.
Cross your fingers and hope the teacher hasn’t decided to change things around.
9. B y now, we’ve been reduced to that time honoured custom: memorizing instead of actually learning.
We’re basically walking talking photo copy machines at this point. Which, you know, totally undermines the whole point of studying and exams.
10. Nothing can make us as religious as an impending exam can.
There are no atheists in foxholes, and there are no unbelieving students at the time of an exam. We start praying more than we ever have in our entire life. Put together.
11. This is when the anger sets in.
Because of course, getting a kid to write everything he/she learnt in an entire year in three hours is not the best way to promote learning.
12. We convince ourselves, that although we may not be text smart, we are most definitely street smart.
This test doesn’t define who we are, you know.
13. In the end, we just acknowledge that this one is a lost cause, but promise ourselves we’ll do better next time.
The traditional way of learning was all about mugging up and “getting by”. And that’s not what it’s supposed to be about. Thankfully, things are looking up for the new generation. It’s time to bid adieu to the age old rote based learning methods and welcome the new age of interactive and fun learning with Dell.
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