Study Differences
While walking around the Law Library today (yes that’s right, I don’t use the Engineering Library, I use the Law Library, because it has nicer seats - they recline like a rocking chair) I saw an avid studier who had brought a desk lamp in from home. Yes, I know, I was somewhat bewildered too. This person had found the lighting supplied by the overhead fluoro lights (and the nearby window) insufficient and had therefore brought in their own halogen desk lamp.
This got me to thinking about the differences in people’s study habits. Some people can only study with rock on the radio; others only in the dead silence of the upper floors of the Law Library; and still others somehow manage to convince people that they can study effectively in groups. And I have recently discovered the key to studying for engineering exams: Print out all the past exam papers you can lay your hands on; read through the notes briefly; try the exam questions until you feel confident. Then, if it’s an open book exam, take these answers in with you. Done.
One final note, if it is indeed an ‘open-book’ exam, then do remember to answer the questions on this year’s paper, and not last year’s. Even if they look the same.
November 7th, 2006 at 11:48 pm
“…and still others somehow manage to convince people that they can study effectively in groups” - you sound unconvinced Will. I can *only* study in groups… because I’m too lazy to do any study by myself, I sort of learn by osmosis from what everyone around me is talking about. It’s worked pretty well for me so far
November 8th, 2006 at 11:04 am
A friend of mine likes to study listening to the Dresden Dolls at high volume. Don’t get me wrong, they can be very therapeutic, but even fans can’t deny most of their music consists of manic shrieking…. I just don’t understand… !
Each to their own I guess!
November 8th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
Im hungry.
For learning that is, which in turn leads to lunch time.
November 8th, 2006 at 9:40 pm
i get excited by study… in fact, a little too excited. that means i’m ready for another few hours of study, lock and load… denny crane
November 9th, 2006 at 1:13 am
ahh… the open book exam. One engineering idea that I support in its entirity. the ony exams I have ever gotten to bring books in for are my engineering classes. then again, architecture doesn’t have many exams… we’re fans of the gigantic-projects-that-consume-your-life-and-never-die approach to torture.
November 9th, 2006 at 12:55 pm
Weibull is Why Bull
Reliability is key,
we all worked our asses off
doing d-three.
now its exam time
two hours of fun,
draw your design lines.
remember the crap you spun.
failure prediction,
sn diagrams too
that rock cutting test bed,
shows design is poo,
do your calculations carefully,
then multiply by about two.
jamesd
November 9th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
yeah sach, we do that too… long arse projects that take forever to do with little relevance to anything, yet you still manage to spend the best part of a week straight running through number, equations, formula, simulations, text books and what not all to get something that vaguely looks like it’s right but you don’t really know cause your not really all that sure… only to be worth 18 percent of half a subject and forgotten quickly after being marked
November 9th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
the best part of a week, dave! I wish… try projects that you work on for eight hours a day for two months and then two weeks before its due you start adding an hour a day until you’re at your breaking point… 20 hour days and no sanity. except that they are usually worth about 60% of a triple weight course (hence more important than some other classes in their entireity) and if you screw that one thing up, you actually fail the entire term… and since its so subjective its really up to whether or not your profs have the same opinions as you… and you pray that they do.
how’re you doing anyway?
November 10th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
yeah, i’m glad i don’t have to worry bout any of that in arts
kidding… i don’t do arts… and i’m good sach, much more relaxed after taking will’s advice here and nailing an exam today 
November 10th, 2006 at 11:55 pm
“Subjective”? Pah! We do engineering; everything for us is either right or wrong. Either you got the right value, or you’re off by a ‘fudge factor’. That is if the tutor can wade through the screeds of pages in your report without falling asleep on it or getting bored before moving on.
I love open-book exams
[even if they are only worth 20% or something silly]
November 11th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
Dave, you should be having sex with people, not exams