"I would be nothing without you...Did you ever know that you're my hero? You're everything I wish I could be. I could fly higher than an eagle, for you are the wind beneath my wings."
"As we go on, we remember, all the times we've had together. And as our lives change, come whatever, we would still be friends forever."
"I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry. Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry...If you feel like you're alone, and you've nowhere to turn I'll be at your side."
Exams scheduled on the three consecutive, if not on the same, days; reaction, reflection, research, and term papers with deadlines that also fall on those same dates; plus a grand total of 9.2 hours of sleep for three consecutive days � equals academic HELL WEEK.
Academic �hell weeks� are University scenes as common as student-activists knocking on classes in Palma Hall for a few minutes� talk on socio-economic, political, and budget cut issues. There are students who deal with such ordeal quite well. Unfortunately, for many students, the stress and pressure of such physically, mentally, and emotionally grueling days are just too much to bear. The result? Higher stress level, lower grades, limited learning efficiency, and sheer dissatisfaction from one�s performance.
Fortunately, though, you have all the power not to fall on the traps of these ill-fated days. Here are tips on how to survive your academic �hell weeks� in UP
Before the ill-fated week:
Unbearable schoolworks are easy tasks whose weights are piled on one over another. Thus, ample preparation and �training� before the actual battle is the key to managing such stressful days (which even stretch to weeks). Since �hell weeks� are so typical for us UP students, nothing makes us more armed than a long-term effective study habit.
Attend your classes. And do get involved. The teacher may be really boring, or you might feel you get most out of a class through self-study sessions; but learning is most efficient if there�s teacher-student interaction (from Carl Roger�s �person-centered education� theory).
Know your instructor. It might be really helpful if you have a clear view of the teacher�s testing format, marking schemes, and expectations from his/her students. After all, it�s still the teacher�s final �verdict� that matters come exams and grading times.
Plan your schedule. And stick to that plan. Have a daily planner or timetable and follow it. A good schedule, if properly managed, keeps us from wandering off course. It must be feasible enough for you to really stick to it, and flexible enough for you to adjust in cases of minor spin-offs.
Study short and often.Our brain takes in information faster and retains it better if we don�t try to overload it. For instance, four short study sessions are much better than one very long study session. Frequent repetition combined with just the right amount of relaxation time helps our brain digest and store information more efficiently.
Establish a regular study area.Studying in the same place every time conditions us to study there and your mind instantly kicks into gear even if you don�t feel like studying.
"In a universe of ambiguity, this kind of certainty comes only once,and never agin,no matter how many lifetimes youlive."
(Robert Kinkaid on Francesca Johnson; The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller)
"It hurts me more than it hurts you."
(Ma'am San Joaquin; CommRes120 class)
"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so I love you because I know no other way than this: where I does not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand, so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep."
(Pablo Neruda)
"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."
(from The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks)
"When a person really wants something,all the Universe in the world conspires to help that person realize his dream."
(from The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho)