Ditching the Last-Minute Hustle: My Journey to Exam Success.

Before coming home for the holidays, I had to sit for a set of exams that, honestly, weren’t easy at all. They really pushed me to think, but in the middle of it all, I learned something important, which is : early preparation gives you peace of mind.

To be sincere, I’ve never been a fan of reading ahead. I was that student who would wait until the exam season was just around the corner before I’d even touch my books. Sometimes, it would be just about 1 week to the exam, and that’s when I’d start opening my notes, trying to cram as much as I could into my head. Truth be told, this approach kind of worked for me then— I would pass. Not always with flying colours, but I managed to scale through.

But somewhere deep down, I knew i needed to do better, especially if i wanted to graduate next year with outstanding grades.

Apart from the average results it gave me, this last-minute reading habit always came with stress, fear, and sleepless nights. I would deprive myself of rest, staying up late into the night, trying to “burn the midnight candle” just so I could catch up. Most times, this lifestyle would affect my health. I’d start feeling sick, weak, and tired — all while still trying to prepare for another paper.

So this time around, with the exams I just finished before the holidays, I decided to do things differently. I told myself, "Let me try preparing early and see how it goes." So, instead of waiting until the last minute, I started reading my notes several weeks before the exams. I wasn’t even reading that much, it was just for a few hours during each day, but then i still had enough time to cover most of my notes without pressure. I didn’t have to rush, and because of that, I understood what I was reading better.

One big change I noticed was during the exam week itself. While others were still trying to cram the night before, I was already done with reading — all I had to do was revise lightly and go to bed early. No panic, no fear. I remember one of my friends asking me, “How are you able to sleep so early? Don’t you have things to read?” I just smiled and told him I was already done. That feeling of being ahead gave me peace of mind.

And it paid off. I wasn’t stressed during the exams, I didn’t fall sick, and most importantly, I wrote with so much confidence. I wasn’t second-guessing myself or praying for “area of concentration” because I had actually studied and prepared well. It taught me a valuable life lesson — early preparation gives you an edge. Not just in academics but in life in general.

Now I’ve made up my mind to stick to this method. There’s nothing as rewarding as going into something fully prepared. I hope someone reading this will learn from my story, too. Cramming and stressing yourself might get you by, but preparation will take you much farther — with less panic and more peace.

Thanks for reading.

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