Preparations for exams are one of the most challenging periods for all of us in our lifetime. The revision period is crucial for us to prepare ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally to sit for the exams.
Over the years, NTU Library has witnessed the exam fever among our students semester after semester. We strive to not just make our seven libraries’ spaces more conducive but also comforting. Besides being there for you with extended opening hours, NTU Library has included various features into our physical spaces to help you with your concentration, hunger, sleeplessness, fatigue and mind blocks.
Here are some Exam Hacks to help you along.
Hack #1 – Find a good study spot
Studying in a conducive environment is important. Some of you would prefer privacy with complete silence, some of you would want to study along with others and, some of you would need a colourful and vibrant space to make the mugging bearable. We have various discussions and learning pods available for booking especially at our flagship library, Lee Wee Nam Library. LWNL is also popular for its various vibrant spaces situated at Level 2 and its Level 5 is specially dedicated as a strictly Quiet Zone.
#Hack 2 – Reward yourself with a treat
Long hours of studying can make you down and tired. Start with or take breaks to get a comfort drink. Be it a nice hot coffee to keep your mind alert or a delightful chocolate frappe to boost your endorphin levels, these treats are able to accompany your study sessions at our libraries. Practice rewarding yourself with treats like this while studying and it can help you remember things better because you were rewarded for your effort. Remember to keep your drinks covered when you bring them to the library so as to avoid spillage at our spaces which need to be clean for your use and others after you too.
Hack #3 – Take power naps
As mentioned by Rita Aouad, a psychiatrist and sleep specialist at Ohio State University, “a nap of about 20 minutes in the afternoon has a positive effect on attention, vigilance, mood, and alertness”. Especially while studying for exams, taking a power nap helps to boost your memory of what you had studied and, refresh your mind and replenish energy in the body if you had a long night. NTU Library has deployed one rest pod as part of a pilot study at the Huxibit area located at Level 2 of Lee Wee Nam Library (LWNL). Students can book to use it at no charge here.
Hack #4 – REV it up
Physical exercises are known to improve learning performances by increasing alertness, enabling better focus, decreasing sleepiness and also combating that exam anxiety. The Greenbikes (pedal bikes) at NTU Library help you to transform from a couch potato to a power potato. Energizing your body through such physical activities play a key role in also vitalizing your mind. How about all of this and also being able to recharge your electronic devices? The Greenbikes are also bike charging stations that turn human kinetic energy into usable electrical power. Power up and recharge yourself and also your laptops, tablets or mobile phones if they are low on power by plugging them into the bikes as you pedal them. Accompanying your pedal session with good music in your earphones also help to calm, de-stress and motivate you.
Hack #5 – Unblock your mind
Studies have shown that taking breaks from demanding mental activities by engaging with tasks requiring more physical coordination can be energizing and help to improve concentration (Nixon, 2008; Hillman, Erickson, & Kramer, 2008). You can take a break from your study sessions at the library and play with our building blocks located at Lee Wee Nam Library. Physical activities can also help contribute to developing creativity in the individual (Lupu, 2012). If you find the library very crowded with no study desks left, feel free to get creative and build your own study space with the blocks.
NTU Library wishes our students all the best for the exams. Just Keep Calm & Study On. Good Luck!
