How it feels to take an exam during lockdown
While some students may have taken take-home exams previously, most students will find the new online exam system unfamiliar and strange. The final exam I took in my third year was an experience that was entirely new for me. It helped me to be more confident and more disciplined when it came to studying.
The 3rdApril arrived, which was also the day that my exam timetable went public. Unknown of the outcome, I saw that my exam for this year was on Thursday 7th May, 10am. It would last 23 hours. That was a strange thing. This meant I had 23 minutes from the time that the exam was posted at 10am on 7/7 to complete the assessment. Then, I had to submit it to Blackboard. My first instinct was panic. How was I supposed write two essays in just one day? It would take me weeks to compose an essay I was happy writing. Here are the steps I took to conquer my exam anxiety, and pass the assessment in record time.
It was an exam. Sometimes it is difficult to let go of your responsibility when answering essay-writing exam questions. There are more hours available, which can give the illusion you should be able create essays with the same quality and level of detail as your coursework. This exam is a real exam. The marker knows that. You should prepare for the exam by learning that you won’t be expected to write answers that are difficult to understand. Understanding the limitations of the time frame is key. Don’t try to achieve more than you can handle.
The exam rubric is another tip that can be very useful especially for essay-based exams. This is the same as for any other year. But, there are chances that your online exam will have a slightly different format. Is there a word limit? Are there any changes in the number and type of questions you need to answer? I found it a relief that my exam had a minimum word count of 1,000 words for essays. This allowed me plan my essays in a way that was simple and easy to follow, which eased some anxiety about writing pages upon page.
I remembered that the exam will be open-book while revising. This meant that I would have all the resources I needed when I took the exam. This was something I took into account as I prepared my notes. They were easily readable again and I could refer to them whenever I needed. I also made bookmarks of useful websites and essays on Chrome so that I could quickly access them during my 23 hours exam period.
Related article from CollegeBasics: https://www.collegebasics.com/blog/how-to-get-the-best-online-exam-help/
Related Resources:
Tips for students studying online university exams
Online university exam tips and tricks for students
What it’s like to take an Exam during Lockdown
What it’s like taking an exam during lockdown