Exams are here! Actually, for any international student studying remotely, exams from abroad are here. We hardly thought we would make it to this point, but, eventually, we did.
Initially, the exam structure of any Canadian college would come as a surprise for many international students from Asia and other parts of the world, with an exception for some countries.
Depending on the course, we usually have to take a written exam for the complete syllabus for a large percentage of our final grade, while the rest of the grade includes a written assignment or presentation, multiple-choice tests, and attendance points.
Many students would usually just study hard during the last few days of the course and score enough on the exam to get through the course. However, taking exams online is completely different.
What really makes me adore this new system is that in some classes, every input from students from day one goes toward our grades. Eventually, this is the reason this integrated system makes sure that we learn everything step-by-step and in a well-managed way. This makes the burden of passing any course a little lighter than usual. Yes, these final exams are stressful, but they are just an endgame for us. We’ve done really well to reach this point, submitted assignments on time, took tests every week. In order to take these final exams, we just need a revision of everything we have already studied. Whenever I think like this, I feel relaxed.
The most important aspect about our exams that we should understand now is that we are being tested for everything we’ve learned up until now. Whenever I feel way too stressed, I just relax and meditate for a while. It’s really important to keep calm and de-stress before taking an exam. And the most important thing, if time allows, is revising your work once or twice.
Every exam is online or being proctored, but the pressure isn’t that different compared to in-person exams. We can score good grades if we have a proper understanding of all our course materials. And, online tests are open book but it’s best to know the material beforehand than it is to waste time as the clock ticks looking through your textbooks. Of course, also remember to always show academic integrity.
You also need to make sure that there—hopefully—won’t be any technical or connectivity issues; if something happens, letting the instructor know right away is the best thing to do.
In the end, I just wish all the best to every student going through exams this month. Remember, our break is right around the corner.