Academic Comeback?

ULSSAites vs. Exams, how to come out top.

It’s that time of the semester again. The time when lecture halls empty out, libraries fill up, and every student suddenly becomes deeply religious (plays favor, it surrounds me like a shield”).

Exam season is here, and if you’re reading this, chances are you’re somewhere between mildly stressed and questioning your entire academic existence and 100% under water.

You tell yourself you should have started studying earlier. That you wouldn’t be in this situation if you had just followed your well-intentioned study plan from the beginning of the semester. But here you are, staring at a mountain of lecture notes, hoping that osmosis will somehow do the magic.

But don’t panic just yet. Science is about solutions, and we’ve got some for you.

The Comeback Blueprint

This isn’t about miracles; it’s about using the little time you have effectively. You don’t need to cover everything, you need to cover what matters. Here’s how to maximize your study time and get back in the game.

Step 1: Prioritize Like A Strategist

• Check past questions. 90% of the time, lecturers recycle questions in some form. Identify recurring topics and make them your top priority.

• Rank your courses. Which ones need urgent attention? Which ones have the heaviest weighting? Attack the difficult ones first.

• Focus on high-yield topics. Check your syllabus. Not all topics are created equal—some appear in exams more than others. Study smart, not wide.

👉🏽 Practical Move: Skim through past questions NOW and make a list of high-priority topics. That’s your battlefield.

Step 2: Switch To Active Studying

Time is against you, so passive reading won’t cut it. You need to force your brain to engage with the material.

• Teach it to yourself. If you can’t explain a topic in simple terms, you don’t understand it. Talk to your mirror, your friend, or even your pillow.

• Write things down. Summarizing notes in your own words improves retention better than just reading.

• Use the “Blurting” method. Read a topic, close your notes, and try to write down everything you remember. Then check what you missed and repeat:

Step 3: Create A Realistic Time Table (Not A Fancy One)

Forget those overambitious timetables that make you think you’ll cover five courses in a day. Be real with yourself.

• Divide your day into focused blocks. Example: 2 hours on Course A, 2 hours on Course B, short break, repeat.

• Use the Pomodoro technique. Study for 50 minutes, take a 10-minute break. Your brain absorbs more this way.

• Slot in quick revisions. Every night, skim what you studied during the day—it helps move info into long-term memory.

Step 4: Survive The Exam Hall Panic.

That moment when you see a question you didn’t expect and all the emotions in your brain end up like this?

Here is how to solve that:

• Start with what you know. Don’t waste 20 minutes panicking over a tough question. Answer easy ones first to build momentum.

• Breathe. Your brain needs oxygen to think. Take deep breaths before and during the exam.

• Use the “context clues” hack. Sometimes, other questions on the paper can jog your memory for a question you’re stuck on.

Exams Are Not A Death Sentence

Yes, exams are important. But they do not define you. If you do your best and things still don’t go perfectly? Life moves on. (Laughs in carry over) no pressure though.

So take a deep breath, focus, and handle your business. And when it’s all over? Sleep like a legend. You’ve earned it.

Good luck!

Best,
The Luminaries.

PS: Updates on Overnight classes and their availability would be announced soonest.