Level up: JC teacher imparts tips for effective studying and conquering exam nerves

The month of May signals the start of crunch time for students.

Mugging for your exams is a colloquial term for intense studying, and one that many understand and relate to.

However, what may be less understood is how one goes about studying effectively.

Randy Tan, a JC teacher who is also an undergraduate, might just have the answers.

Last Sunday (April 30), Randy shared an almost five-minute-long video on TikTok of him giving his students tips on how they can improve their studying techniques.

@bunnycurlsenpai Replying to @humptydumptybigegg okay I talked abt this to one of my classes so I hope this helps! #jctok #sgeducation #whyny #studytok #edutok #sgtiktok #fyp #xyzbca ♬ original sound - Randy Tan

The 24-year-old suggested that, when studying, everyone generally falls into four different levels of understanding.

First up are those who feel lost and "don't know anything, can't do anything". There's nothing to be shy about, since we've all been there.

On the other end of the spectrum are those who excel in exams.

These are the students who breeze through their papers, achieve 90 rank points in JC and "go Harvard or something".

In between, we have people who understand the lecture notes but not tutorial questions.

Above them are the ones who have mastered the tutorial questions but are unable to translate that in the actual exams.

How to level up?

With this concept in mind, finding out which group you belong to is the easy part.

The challenge, for most, is knowing how to improve and level up.

Sometimes, the issue isn't about effort, but rather application.

For those who feel like they "don't know anything" about a given topic or subject, it's due to "a lack of exposure to the content", Randy said.

A good tip is to give YouTube videos a try. Concepts or theories that are tricky to understand on paper might work better when explained through a different medium.

Once you have better knowledge of the subject, the challenge is whether you are able to "generate it [a solution] on your own". 

According to Randy, it's easy to follow logic and nod along when you go through the provided answers.

But, for a change, why not put that answer sheet to the side? Test your understanding and find out how you fare without referring to the solution.

"If you already copy everything [the answers], just cover up what you copied then try to do it on foolscap paper," Randy suggested.

Lastly, his tip is to have timed practice papers when preparing for an exam.

"When I say 'timed', I mean no distraction. Proper exam setting. So you put your phone there, a stopwatch. You don't use your phone or TikTok," he added.

Doing so will help one get accustomed to thinking under stress.

In the comments section, there were a number of students, past and present, who showed their appreciation to Randy for his sound advice.

So much so that a netizen asked: "Where were you when I needed you?" 

A TikTok user agreed with Randy's pointers but mentioned how "everyone has their own study methods" and once they find theirs, studying becomes "so much easier".

The tips Randy provided are universal enough and applicable whether in a school or workplace setting.

So, the next time you're scratching your head about overcoming a difficult new topic, consider trying out one or two of his tips.

ALSO READ: Year-end examination: Useful health tips for students to help them thrive during the exam period

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