Tonight i’m not feeling like doing any work at all. I have these days… i can float between days or hours where i’ll do nothing, but then suddenly come alive. I have an exam tomorrow though… exams have no mercy and take place whether you’ve just been shot dead or run over by a car and that’s what’s great about them – the fact you know they’re taking place and there’s no getting out of them – they just have to be done. Even when i had pneumonia at Christmas i was determined to sit all my exams because i knew they’d have to be done at some stage.
They’re a snapshot of a particular moment in time. Much like a group photo, you’ll have people missing or looking away, eyes closed etc… then there’s the guys who’ve just about made it in on time and are lucky to have been there… there’s others who have spent all day waiting for the picture to be taken, dressed to kill.
Exams and photographs have an awful lot in common and i really do enjoy exams now – i’ll turn up and be prepared for every single exam. I won’t over do it, i won’t put myself out for any exam, but i’ll respect them all.
I’m too good to fail, too poor to get A’s which leaves me in a nice comfort zone somewhere in between the two. And that’s without killing myself… i always feel i could raise my game if i really wanted to, if there was something i felt passionate about.
It’s important i do raise my game at some stage, if only just to prove i can… but the best time to do that will be in 4th year when i’m chasing a level 8 degree. Right now, i’m in year 2 of 3 in a level 7 degree which leaves me very comfortable.
I just have to keep doing what i’m doing… turning up, staying calm and getting through work and exams one step at a time. I’ve yet to fail an exam this semester and if that record remains intact for the next few weeks, it puts me in a great position to cruise through my summer exams too.
One weakness (or strength in my case) with my course, is that a lot of marks go for written assignments and exams. If you can’t write or can’t express yourself properly, you’re immediately in trouble. It’s great for the likes of me – i’ve been writing on a daily basis for the past 2 or 3 years and debating with people daily online… my english is pretty good.
It undoubtedly gives me an advanatge when it comes to exams as i have the confidence to tackle questions even if i don’t know the answer to them 
I can try to use logic and common sense to mould an answer for myself. If i do know the answer to a question though it’s pretty rare i won’t get top marks for it which is probably my real strength. I’ll just talk it to death and throw everything i know down on paper.
That’s why i’m rarely surprised when it comes to results – i know how good i am and what needs to be done to pass. I can literally mark my own papers and get results spot on
I get like this too and something we rarely think is the cause is our diet; what we eat. This is the way it is for me, maybe not for you. I find when I eat healthier and less high glycemic foods im much more alert and interested in studying etc. Just wondering you havent been eating anything that has spiked your body sugar levels? Doing that sort of stuff to your body makes you crash out and can make you lose your motivation, make you feel down and even depressed.
Absolutely not saying that this is the cause its just a thought because you wouldnt really think of it unless you’re conscious of it really?
Anyway that aside, some good tips on getting yourself motivated (without drugs – thats including coca cola or coffee) is proper brain nutrition like a handful of cashew nuts are awesome, also contains niacin which is the best natural anti depressant in the world. Here’s a good article: http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56280
Thats me done, I felt like going into a tangent 🙂
Yeah i’m pretty conscious of what i eat and drink – i’ve erased fizzy drinks completely from my life (unless i’m really stuck!) plus i tend to eat more nuts now.. usually peanuts though.
Those damn vending machines at college will move the packets of peanuts right to the edge, then fail to drop.
Number 60 & 61 in the machine beside the comp dept stairs are the dodgy slots, number 62 i think it is (horizontal packets of peanuts) always seem to come out first time 🙂
I think sleep plays a big role though too – i get 5 hours of sleep per night during the week, something i’m starting to work on. I do make up for it at weekends or holidays though!