Keep focusing until the desks are packed up
That strategy should not be abandoned now.
In a world of instant gratification, the month to six weeks set aside for the matric exams requires determination from mariculants for which their education had not necessarily prepared them.
The relative freedom of this period can be counterproductive as students don’t have the security of a routine any more that the teachers have managed.
Often as pupils pass the halfway mark of their exams, the thought of the break and the celebrations following the exams can distract them easily. In addition, anxiety or despair about papers that did not go well can undermine the determination to stay focused.
As many schools now also allow Grade 10 and 11 pupils to study at home, the matriculants and their families already know how well the pupil is able to sustain (or not) the self-discipline needed based on previous years. That knowledge should lead to strategies to keep the focus for the next three weeks.
These strategies include a study timetable, scheduled reviews of progress and productive opportunities to engage with peers on progress. Young adults need their peers, and a complete ban on this interaction will lead to many hours wasted using social media and other communication tools to stay in touch.
“As the list of subjects you still need to write becomes shorter, don’t be tempted to relax too soon,” says Dr Felicity Coughlan, Director of the Independent Institute of Education.
“Stop stressing about the subjects you’ve already written. There is nothing more you can do about those results. But retain your focus right to the end, especially for the so-called ‘easier’ subjects that often are scheduled towards the end of the exam timetable,” she says.
“Every paper counts and you have to give your best right up to the end.”
Coughlan reminds pupils that selecting one or two subjects that may be easier was a deliberate part of their strategy four years ago – at that time they included these subjects to get access to some relatively easy “points” to up their scores and improve their chances of access to courses. That strategy should not be abandoned now.
“Don’t drop the ball on that strategy. Don’t stumble over the last hurdle and forfeit those points. The end of November will arrive, and with it the end of your school career, but right now remember that the only thing that should matter is that you earn the very best marks you can right until you put down your pen after writing your last exam.
“There is nothing left for you to do about the way you started. Now it is all about the way you finish,” she says.
Coughlan says that in the next three weeks, matrics can keep their focus by:
• Not looking back – what is done cannot be changed and each paper should be treated as a stand alone opportunity to do your best.
• Ensuring that they stick to a schedule of eating healthy, and getting enough sleep and exercise.
• Sticking to their study schedule and even upping the ante a little, by putting in an hour or two extra to complete another mock paper, for example.
“A few extra marks may mean the difference between your application for a position and that of your competitors in the job market. It also may be the difference between being accepted into your course of choice or having to look at alternatives. In a few days’ time, there will be nothing more you can do about the matric marks that will accompany you throughout the rest of your life.
“Put in the time now and stick it out right until the end, and you’ll find your focus and additional effort will be the gift that keeps on giving throughout the rest of your life.”
