The Nagaland University End Semester Exams will commence from 10th October for the Undergraduate Semester students. With only weeks remaining, the final assessment to determine a student’s future weighs heavily on both students, teachers and even parents to provide the support and environment that students need to excel and give their best. Here are some thoughts from a student to approach these exams in the right manner and spirit.
Exams And Why We Should Say No to Cheating
A students’ academic year is full of interesting events, competitions, presentations, internships, class activities, and others, but at the end of the day, we do have to wake ourselves up from all of these and face the fact that we have to prepare and appear for the inevitable – our exams. And it all comes down to this one particular evaluation, which will decide the fate and take an individual a step ahead in their education.
As a student, we should often question ourselves about what we are still doing? What are we waiting for? When the exam is right around the corner, when we see our classmates and other students preparing their notes, doing group studies or when we see different individuals becoming serious about their studies. Am I still postponing my days of studying?, Or do I study only when I am in the mood? Often when exams approach, we are faced with, a term I coined as ‘forceful study’ in which an individual does not have any choice but to study just for the sake of passing the exam.
Being a student myself and having friends from different colleges, high school and higher secondary, I have often observed and seen individuals following the very common ‘24 hours study format’. In this case while some clear the papers with lower marks, the others fail, given the fact that there is a lack of preparation, but there is always a drawback or what we call a feeling of regret in these two cases, as the individuals who pass with lower marks or just the pass mark long for better marks, while the student who fails regrets the fact that he/she should have prepared earlier. The message that I would like to convey here to all the students is that ‘to regret’ shouldn’t be our problem at the end when our results are out.
It has often been mentioned that exams are stressful given the fact that we do have to prepare on a lot of topics or units of different papers, and that the expectations from our families, teachers, elders or relatives only adds to that pressure but if one is to think of it carefully, the word ‘stressful’ has never been a problem related to our exams. If an individual is well prepared in advance and had been taking serious note of everything the teacher mentions or explains then why should there be stress. Many of us tend to wait for the end moment to approach us or for the exams to come and knock at the door, realizing only at that moment that our exam starts tomorrow, while some others are still wondering over the thought of when did the teacher even complete the syllabus.
As an individual or in general, most of us get caught up in a conversation amongst our friends, families, teachers or classmates; that talk on the topic of whether one should study hard or study smart, with all giving their respective opinions on the topic. While some choose smart work, the others favor for hard work but at the end, everyone seems to agree on one particular thing, that is to pass the exams with good marks. What I want to convey here is that whatever may be your approach of studying, just aim and strive to achieve the best that satisfies you.
Appearing our exams to pass with flying colors also means that as a student we do have to be disciplined and smart enough adhering to the rules and regulations being set down, which implies an individual to not follow the unwanted ways such as copying, and others, just for the sake of getting good marks or passing the exam. If one ignores the rules being laid down, one should remember that in this case, your education can take a step back, with all those lessons being taught, and activities being conducted to prepare you for the exam, gone to waste at that particular moment of you being caught.
‘A single piece of paper cannot decide my future’ is a very interesting line of words which we often hear from some of the respective individuals. Upto a certain point, I would agree on the statement but, one should also keep in mind the proverb which states that ‘time and tide waits for none’, in a sense that we are living in a modern competitive world, where students around the world at present have become time conscious. They try to do things that should be done at a particular and specific time and they see to it that the steps that they take in their education do not get delayed because of a single piece of paper. In other words, you may have a second chance, but the time being lost because of that single paper may place you behind your friends in the race of education.
As I conclude my article, exams may often be viewed as something which is boring or makes no sense but on the other part my thought is also that it also gives an individual a stage to demonstrate, express and enhance ourselves of what we learn and know.
Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editors are Dr Hewasa Lorin, Dr. Aniruddha Babar, Meren and Kvulo Lorin.
For feedback or comments please email: dot@tetsocollege.org