As everyone else that is part of a committee in LundaEkonomerna, I had to go through an interview with the PL’s before I got chosen as a new member of the committee. One of the questions in that interview was something along the lines of:
“In case the deadline for an article was tomorrow and you hadn’t written anything, what would you do?”
I prefaced this question by confidently answering that I would most likely never get into such a situation, on account of my good planning and rigorous work ethic. However, in the unlikely event that I would find myself in such a situation I would make something up quickly, and if need be stay up the whole night writing it. Well Ladies and Gentlemen here we are, the time is currently 22:24 on the fourteenth of December, the night after Vinterbalen. I had a marketing exam last Friday , on Tuesday I have one on Financial Accounting, and to top it all off, this article is due tomorrow. The pressure has been slowly rising and intensifying, much akin to a Supernova. Therefore it is time to put my alleged ability to perform under pressure to the test and produce an article worthy of being published in Nådiga Lundtan.
This introduction segways nicely to my topic of the day. I have been thinking about that answer to that question during the exam period—not because writing articles and sitting exams are the same, but because the pressure surrounding them often is. In both cases, the stress comes less from the task itself and more from the feeling that time is running out and that failure would be uniquely catastrophic. Every semester the exam season arrives with impeccable timing. Yet, students (myself included) often end up in a desperate time scramble where they try to cram in the material for the exam that they have previously neglected to learn. But, in case you have put yourself in this position, how do you deal with it? Here are some tips, from a seasoned veteran.
- There is, according to me, a persistent myth that academic excellence is realized at 3 a.m, fuelled by caffeine and the vague hope that simply being in the presence of a book will enchant you with its wisdom. Long, drawn-out, late night stretches, if not strictly necessary, are to be avoided. This of course depends on the person, but working with minimal sleep is rarely a recipe for success. Rather, you should try to sleep as much as possible and enter study-mode during the day.
- When I said in that interview that I would write something simple under pressure, I did not mean something careless. I meant something manageable. The same logic applies during exam season. When everything feels overwhelming, the most effective response is often to reduce complexity. Focus on core concepts. Prioritise what is most likely to matter. Exams usually do not entail a recitation of the whole book, but rather a brief snapshot of the most important subjects, learn them!
- If you are panicking, at least do it in an organized way. As in my case, I realized that I have two exams and an article which I have started attacking for too late. In this situation a panic can easily ensue. Stress, like deadlines, is unavoidable. But there is a difference between professional panic and amateur panic. Professional panic involves lists, structure, and decisions. Amateur panic involves reorganising your desk, checking your phone, and convincing yourself that this somehow counts as preparation. Panic if you must – but do so effectively.
Everyone can end up in a time scramble situation, where their inadequate preparation comes back to bite them. I am currently in that position and by applying my tips I am sure that I will be able to make it out. If you panic effectively, as I am doing now, you are more likely to push through and make the best out of it. The clock is now 00.06 and the article is soon finished, which means I have ample time to go to sleep in order to panic effectively with my accounting exam tomorrow.
