Pre-Necta Exams - Form Two - 2021

Don't panic alone! You may find having a “study buddy” is helpful. This is not necessarily your best friend in your class. Unless you study with someone who has a good work ethic and who can study for the same amount of time as you, that could do more harm than good. The time you allocate to working together can easily degenerate into a gossip or worse still, a “let’s have another class of wine!” session. Having a study buddy session can however be very useful when you come to looking at exam questions as you may each see different things in the questions and may be able to share some exam answering techniques.

What you should avoid is the everybody-round-the-table-with-their-books session. This will almost inevitably turn into a social event or lead to a bravado commitment to an “all-nighter”. All-nighters are a bad thing; when you start work again the next day you will not have had the opportunity to relax and process information and you will be too tired and probably demoralised to engage in productive study.

Think positive

Your brain can be a bully – but it’s a bully with no substance behind it. If you assert yourself and say ‘Oh yes I can!’ or ‘Get out of my way, brain!’, you can overcome the self-doubt and low confidence that plague most people at some point.

Tell yourself ‘I’m smart, I’m capable, and I’m going to show me what I can do.’ You may be surprised how much better you do than when you listen to your inner bully.

Ask Questions

Don’t just rely on your books and notes. If you have a question as you study, ask your teacher, parent, or tutor. You’ll feel more confident knowing you got the answer to your question from the most reliable source.

- Don’t forget to ask your teacher what materials will be covered. For example, ask if the exam will be based on homework, reading assignments, and/or on class discussion.

- If you are having trouble understanding a topic, you can also ask a librarian to help you find other resources that you can use for clarification.