Five tips to tackling VCE [Blog Comp]

As I’m writing this, the countdown on my phone says only 30 days, 14 hours and 15 minutes until the VCE ® Exam final exams.

But do not fear! Here are 5 tips to help you ace the exams. You can thank me later.

 

1. Do ALL the VCAA past exam papers

Go to your best friend Google, and type in “vcaa accounting”, or whatever subject you’re doing, and chances are the first hit on the list is the website with all the past final exams, complete with solutions.

Beware of different study designs, but do ALL of them, if you can. Then you'll know what tricks to look out for, what VCAA expects in your answers, all while checking for gaps in your knowledge. I’m sure your classroom teachers are amazing, but it’s definitely worth cross-checking what you know with the actual organisation who will be testing you.

 

2. Do not talk yourself down

       “Oh my gosh, I didn’t study at all, like, I’m going to fail this for reals.”

       “Lol, I’m so bad at Methods, I don’t even know what a derivative is.”

 

Does this sound familiar to you? If it does, then you should un-familiarise yourself with this negative talk. Sure, it might just be you joking around with friends, and that’s totally cool, but from past experience, I know that saying these things out loud too often (especially before a test or exam) can subconsciously decrease your confidence. Now, I’m not telling you to go all out and boast - quietly confident is the key.

It’s super important to be confident. If you’re always second guessing yourself every answer you put down, you waste so much time, you’re so much more stressed, and, chances are, you will not have done as well as you would have if you believed you could in the first place.

As the saying goes, “never say never” (Justin Bieber, 2010). So don’t ever tell yourself that you’ll “never” do well.

 

3. Instead, tell yourself you can

Say to yourself before you go into a test or exam: “I can do this”.

Write “You can” on a sticky-note and put it on your mirror.

Email or text yourself a motivational message (I know it sounds stupid, but it works).

Give yourself a pep talk in front of the mirror.

Stand with one hand on your hip and a fist in the air (or any other “power pose” you like) before you hit the exams. According to social psychologist Amy Cuddy, “superman/woman body language” can actually increase confidence - and you all know how important confidence is.

 

4. Laugh!

Laughter is the best medicine. It relieves stress and anxiety, boosts your mood, and even enhances resilience. Just by having a chuckle over a cat video on YouTube (or whatever else you find funny) before you go and study, you can enhance your efficiency and avoid wasting time by stressing over everything. What’s more, it’s fun!

Who would have thought you could have fun while studying, hey?

 

5. Work hard throughout the year - and start revision early

Do not cram! The first rule in the book, and often the first to be broken. For those starting VCE ® Exam next year: Remember that every day in those 9 months before the exams is time that could be spent learning, refining and preparing - and, of course, appropriate amounts of sleeping and recreation to recharge your inner battery. Try not to waste them! Don’t count the days - make the days count.

A rule of thumb would be to start revising over the Term 3 holidays (where there are no SACs to worry about). Use that time wisely, and you’ll find that the content will become your second nature. Study timetables, reminders on your phone, locking your phone or the remote control away so it doesn’t distract you - do whatever you have to do. Study time is time to study.

There’s no sweet without sweat. Come November, you won’t regret working hard early on.

So there you have it - ideas to get your VCE ® Exam life together for one last push to the end.

 

And please, do NOT be afraid of the exams.

 

They are simply an activity,where you demonstrate ability, and show the examiners your capability of completing VCE® Exam.