3. Working Hard and Smart. One Step at a Time (7).

Study smart simply means studying in the most efficient and effective way for you. For me, these are my way of studying smart:

1. Take personal notes.
2. The superiority of understanding over memorizing.
3. Finishing your assignments early.
4. Love your exams.
5. Manage your time.
6. Keep a Healthy Body

4. Love your exams.

I always look forward for examination days. Well, not so much for the exams, but for the day when the result is announced. I love it when the result of the exam is out, because it tells me right away where I am in the race.

I remember when I started Matriculation in Taiping Perak Malaysia. I was surrounded by different lots of people. My classmates were among the best performers in their previous schools. We were all gathered in one place to fight to be the best among the best. Slowly I got to know everybody’s SPM result, and mine was among the lowest in the class. But that did not deter me. All I was waiting for was the right time to show my true colors. That opportunity, I thought can only can be achieved by performing well in the coming exam. So I was extremely eager to wait for the coming first term exam.

In the first month of the term, I was already mapping out my schedule and start studying for the exam. I found out that the best student among us was in my class (the whole matriculation was divided into four classes). So I befriended him and started studying and learning from and with him. When the first term exams arrived, I was prepared. When the results were announced, I was not the best student, but I was definitely among the best. Other students opened their eyes to me. They started to notice me. That was exactly what I love about exams. It can put you where you are really belongs.

When I was in a medical school in Australia, once again I was in different lots of students, coming from different part of the world. Again, I became a stranger in a strange land, a nobody! Everything was much harder. I was again studying hard and eagerly waited for the first semester exam. This time it was not so much to make myself known to my colleagues (after maturing enough, somehow this was not as important as before). I needed to tell myself where I was in this race. I was now in the same battlefield with the Aussies whose language was not a problem for them. We were all nervous and many of my course mates simply aiming for just passing the exams. After the first semester exams result was announced, I certainly did better than just passing the exams. This has boosted my confidence and self esteem to the sky. Here I was, a kampong’s boy who was just 6 months ago could barely talk in English and now showing a pretty tough fight in this medical school.

That was the power of ‘loving your exams’ showing its advantage in my gamble in school.

That is why I always look forward for exams. When you are always waiting for exams, you will inevitably always prepare. When you are prepared, the exams are easy and results are sweet, and thus the cycle goes on. This is a positive feedback.

Of course the reverse is true as well. When you are terrified of exams, you will hate exams and therefore you wish it will never come. You will pretend that exams are still long way away. Consequently, you will never be fully prepared. This will give you a terrible blow when the results are finally announced. The blow will further strengthened you dislike toward exams, and the cycle goes on.

Love your exams and you will love the results more.

5. Manage your time (to be continued ... )

3. Working Hard and Smart. One Step at a Time (6).

Study smart simply means studying in the most efficient and effective way for you. For me, these are my way of studying smart:

1. Take personal notes.
2. The superiority of understanding over memorizing.
3. Finishing your assignments early.
4. Love your exams.
5. Manage your time.
6. Keep a Healthy Body.



3. Finishing your assignment early

This is paramount important, especially when the year end grade includes a certain percentage of your assignment marks. In fact some courses in high colleges and universities request assignments only and no exams at all.

The very reason for assignment to be given is for students to study early and constantly throughout the semester, instead of cramming everything in the last few weeks before exams.

There is nothing tricky about it. The earlier you finish your assignments, the better you are in managing time and therefore preparing for your final exams. Not only that, while in the course of working on your assignments, often you will gain better understanding of the subject the assignments are under. In this way, assignments help you in grasping faster the whole picture of the subject you are learning, thus making attending lectures and doing revision easier.

I whole heartedly believe that the ability to properly finish assignments early indicates ones ability to manage time wisely. This can be extrapolated by saying those who constantly finish assignments early will do better in their working lives. (After all, working life is full of assignments, projects and dead lines)

This is how I did my assignments.

I usually started looking for the reference materials the same day I received the assignments. I was fully aware of the fact that if I delayed looking for it, the materials will all be borrowed out or misplaced or somehow unavailable later on. Understandably, the materials will start disappearing when the closing date of the assignment is near. Therefore, by getting all the resources early, I was at an advantage start. I photocopied all the relevant materials and borrowed all the materials which can be put on loan. I always collect all the materials first; I may start doing the assignment one or two weeks later. I usually allocate one whole day just for reading and sorting out all the reference materials. Another whole day for putting ideas together (writing them straight on to computer is preferable). After that, all I have to do is re visit the ‘ideas’ once in a while, making necessary adjustments and wha lah… my assignment is pretty much finished.


I always finished my assignment one month before the due date, even though I may tell my friends that I have not yet finished (this is simply because I believe I still can improve on them, essentially, it is not yet finished until I handed it over). I use that one month to do final touch up. They are usually done after collecting tips, secrets ingredients and doing some checking from friends and lecturers. One thing for sure, I have never run out of resources and have never late in handing over my assignment. I have definitely never asked for extension, even when there were 3 assignments due at the same time.

In summary:

a. Collect all reference material at the same day you got the assignment
b. Finished the assignment at least 4 weeks before the due date.
c. Use the last 4 weeks for final touch up based on tips form friends and lectures.

4. Love your exams. (to be continued ... )