Her Campus at uOttawa is releasing a series to help first years navigate the beginning of university! We’re sharing all the tips and tricks we’ve learned throughout our time as students and what we wish we had known when we first started. Today, it’s all about exams!
As a third year student, I’ve had my fair share of exam seasons, both online and in person. It’s a stressful time, but it can be manageable if you make a game plan and stick to it. Here are some things that are essential to know and can help you ace your first university exam season!
Know when your exams are
There’s nothing worse than not showing up for an exam. You’ve worked hard all semester, so don’t let something like a logistical error flush that hard work down the drain. Around reading week, uOttawa releases the exam schedule, which you can find on uoZone in the same place you enrolled for your classes. The exact release day is supposed to be October 19th for Fall 2023, but it’s often changed. Consult the important dates page to see any updates to the schedule. Also note the last day of exams—if you’re trying to book travel tickets before your schedule is released, it’s safest to book them after the last day.
When the schedule is released, double and triple-check the time and location for your exams and input it into your calendar. I also recommend checking it closer to the date of exams in case there is a room or time change, which can happen. You will also—depending on the class and faculty—receive an email during the last week of classes confirming which room you’ll write your exam in.
It also doesn’t hurt to check out the rooms your exam will be in before the date to make sure you know where it is. This way, it’s one less thing to worry about the day of the exam!
Start studying
Most exams are cumulative, which means you’re supposed to know everything you’ve done so far in the semester. Ideally, the midterms throughout the semester would have prepared you for that material and so you only have to focus on the new information. Regardless, there is a lot of information you have to know, which makes cramming at the last second an awful experience—I may or may not have some experience with that. Make sure to take the time to review the material a couple weeks before exams start. By the time you get to the night before the exam, you’re not seeing the material for the first time. If your final is a paper, then get started on that as soon as possible. I remember starting on my final first year English paper during reading week, and still tweaking it a few hours before it was due. Having time is better than running out of it, so start early!
Deferring
Even if you try to do everything right, life is still unpredictable and you can face some unexpected situations. In the event that you need to defer your exam, you must do it as soon as possible. Deferment depends on the faculty, so consult the faculty-specific webpage for their deferment practices. For example, this page outlines the information required to defer a course offered by the faculty of science. You can find similar pages for other faculties with a simple search.
Take care of yourself
This can be a stressful time, but that doesn’t mean you need to forget about yourself. The best thing you can do for yourself before an exam is rest. A good night’s sleep is much more important than cramming in that last chapter. Make sure to be rested and eat well before your exam so your brain can work optimally. Take frequent breaks while studying, and go outside from time to time to breathe in the fresh air. Exercising is another thing I love to do to de-stress during exams.
I hope this has helped you figure out the basics of what to expect during exams! It can be scary, especially if you’re not used to taking exams. By doing your best and not stressing out, you can do it. Good luck!