MEGA - Studying, Exams, Stress, and coping with them

Pretty much any school I've heard of does not allow the use of programmable calculators during tests of any sort. You really have no use for one... the only advantage they would give would be to do calculus/algebra dor you, or to store data. Instructors know this.

The only exception I've noticed are number theory and advanced calculus classes. In which case, if you don't know whats going on a calculator isn't going to help you anyway.
 
the tests i take at school here are for the most part based on memory. if you have a good memory and put in a decent amount of time studying material that will be on the test you will do fine. however, i have a terrible memory. i can study twice the time that my friend does and still not remember half the stuff he does. so, i have developed a system of writing single letters on the back of my notebook. when i come to take the test i put the notebook on the ground next to me. if i need to, sometimes i dont, i can look down and the letter will remind me of something that i need to know. i think in class tests are a terrible way to measure a students knowledge. most people, good memories or not, do not remember a majority of the material thats on the test. its sad that even in college the professors havent come up with a better way of doing this. therefore i dont have any moral issues with using little reminders to help me with tests. its the only way i can stay even with the "good memory" people.
 
BlueAdonis said:
I'm not afraid to admit I've cheated. Someone earlier asked "what's the point", I think the answer is very clear - for a better grade. If I'm borderline grades and need a solid 92 (for example) to pass a class, you're damn straight I'll pass that test by any means.

Here's the technique I've used many times:

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This one is almost undetectable, in fact, I've sat in the front row right in front of the professor just to see if I could pull it off and I did. You can put a shit load of information on the inside of a bottle label. Make up a sheet in MS Word, with size 9 or 10 font, and tape it right onto the inside of the label. Of course, my friends and I sometimes work out an elaborate system of foot taps, pencil tabs, and paper moving motions that we relay all around the room so everyone gets hooked up.

You just can't sit with your buddies on test day, the teacher is more prone to suspect some cheating going on. You can use the 4-corner approach and pull it off way better. For example: person in front row far left signals to the person in the front row far right the answer by a foot tap (1 for A, 2 taps for B, etc) a left foot tap will mean skip answer. Person far right will relay this back to the person in the back right corner, this will be relayed to someone else, etc.
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Very nice. :) I updated my cheating technics list. :)
 
BlueAdonis said:
If I'm borderline grades and need a solid 92 (for example) to pass a class, you're damn straight I'll pass that test by any means.
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If it were so important, wouldn't putting in the extra effort and actually getting the required grade through ability be more worthwhile and less dangerous?
fizzacyst said:
The only exception I've noticed are number theory and advanced calculus classes. In which case, if you don't know whats going on a calculator isn't going to help you anyway.
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Real mathematicians don't need calculators ;)

We've a ban on calculators. Not once in over 2 years have I ever needed one or would have found one helpful.
budtokem said:
its the only way i can stay even with the "good memory" people.
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It could be pointed out that the reason they give tests is to diffrentiate between the people who remember things and people who don't?
 
AlphaNumeric said:
It could be pointed out that the reason they give tests is to diffrentiate between the people who remember things and people who don't?
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There is a distinction to be made between the ability to memorize facts and understanding a concept. Just because you can't memorize facts does not necessarily mean you don't understand the concept. Obviously, in your field that's not true. But in a psychology class you can come to a conceptual understanding of the material without remembering all the details of the research.

Now, I don't have that problem myself and I detest cheating, but for some people it is kind of unfair to only test their ability to memorize facts.
 
A test is a test though. You can rationalize it all you want, whether the teacher is doing things the right way, whether they should be testing on something else, etc., but in the end it's still cheating. Someone cheating on an exam is doing absolutely nothing to get that exam changed or to have that teacher test for things in a different way.

:p
 
Hi guys,

Im coming to the end of a 6 year course and had some problems so the last two years have been wasteful. I have a lot of work to catch up on.

Problem is I have a small attention span. I got by in school because there wasnt much to learn and the teachers pushed me, but in university I cant concentrate and its nothing new.

I dont want to identify myself but will say its one of the toughest courses in existance with a high standard needed to pass.

My exams are 7 months away. Im strongly considering ritalin or adderall.

I have never used any recreational drugs - not even weed, so drugs are not really my scene. I dont want to get addicted and feel bad when I stop. Im thinking of doing 5 months of ritalin/adderall every day to help me concentrate. I dont want to stay awake all night and study - I still want my 7-8 hours sleep but my problem is as follows -

I look at the page and dont even read - my eyes move over the page for a while and I daydream about random stuff. Then eventually I dont even look at the page but find some distraction. If I am typing an essay on the computer I end up on the internet looking up random stuff. I have the worse attention span I have ever scene. I dont take in anything I read. it takes me about 10 minutes to read a page of a text book and I take in about 10% in my short term memory and very little into long term memory.

A good example - I sat at the computer for a total of 12 hours over yesterday and the day before. All I had to do was read a few (15) pages of books and type them up in my own words. At this point I have written about 150 words. This took 12 hours.

I dont have ADD and am just a regular guy aside from that.

From what I understand adderall is more adictive and more stimulant in the sense that it keeps you awake. Whereas ritalin can be taken at reasonable doses and not keep you awake of give you a buzz - just helps you concentrate.

I understand you could read and take in a lot more.

I wouldnt plan on using the ritalin during the exams - just the 5 months running up to it. And I should point out that I cant really use it for say the 2 weeks leading up to the exams. For me to cover my course contents once would take a few months. So if Im lucky I will read each page twice during the 5 month proposed ritalin time frame.

As I say its long term and I dont want to get addicted or suffer from lack of sleep. If I fail my exams I am in serious financial problems and my job prospects are poor even if I pass second time round.

Iv been reading lots of old posts on here and articles elsewhere but want to know a) whether I can take either drug long term (5-6 months) and what dose would be safe to do long term.
 
If you really do have a problem with your attention span then you could get adderall or something perscribed to you and use it as intended, you don't have to "abuse it recreationally" it is a normal medication just like any other.

Anyway, we ALL have problems with being unable to focus. I remember when I took history and I'd read maybe two sentances and catch myself doing that thing where you're still moving your eyes across the words but your mind is somewhere else and you don't even remember what you just read.

My advice to you is to just WORK YOUR ASS OFF cause in my opinion adderall or something of that nature isn't going to make you more focused on studying it's just going to make you want to talk a lot and clean your room and shit =P

Boring stuff is always boring, and actually probably even more so when you're on a drug cause then your thoughts are racing and I find it even harder to focus on reading when my brain wants to be processing a page a second, it's so slooww.

This is just something that is going to require a lot of work and dedication to overcome your hatred of what you'll have to be reading. Whatever exam you're studying for is regarded as important and an accomplishment because of exactly the issue you're facing and I think you'll be prouder of your accomplishment if you know you wern't spun out on drugs the whole time.
 
Getting distracted in class - trying to focus

Well I've had a problem since about grade 6/7. I space out. My mind tends to drift away from the lesson being taught in the classroom. Back then it wasnt that big of a deal because I would figure out on my own what to do. But now I am in grade 11 and I am realizing that my "zoning out" could cause me some problems. Take today for instance:
English class. Teacher is talking about an assignment that we have coming up. It was sooooooo boring. I'd listen to the teacher for a bit, then find myself staring at the electrical outlet on the wall, for about 10 mins. Then I'd go back to listening. Then I'd start looking at the book case. Then I would just stare outside. Meanwhile everything that the teacher says is going in one ear and out the other.

I am a smart kid, and if I focused and tried hard all the time I'd have very high marks. But school is just SO BORING so I tend to do stupid little things (watching my pen, rolling it around, looking at dirt on the floor) when I should be listening.

Now, for the question. Would adderall - when used at its recommended dose, help my problem? Because I know it is a medicine that is prescribed for ADD/ADHD etc. But as far as I know I have never been diagnosed with the condition. But I just want it to focus in school. Do you HAVE to have the ADD/ADHD condition to get prescribed this? Or is there any other drug that would help me focus?
 
I've moved this from HOMELESS to C&U thinking many of you have had trouble paying attention in class as well. Perhaps you can offer non-drug solutions to thei problem, or recount how perscriptions have helped or hurt your efforts to learn in class.

If the mods find this is more of a drug discussion than a school discussion - please correct my mistake and move this to the appropriate forum. Thanks.
 
if it's just from boredom, then i think things will get better in university when you get to choose your own classes that interest you. find a subject that you are passionate about and you shouldn't have trouble paying attention.
 
not so much boredom per say. like it is a factor. but..i DO get distracted very easily by things. but its not all the time. if the whole class is making noise and talking, i can actually try to focus on my work, most of the time it works. but sumtimes if its quiet (i prefer it this way because i concentrate much better) i will just keep gettin distracted by small shit. meh. the spacing out really gets me tho.
 
go check .. maybe you'll get yourself diagnosed as ADD? also check you're getting enough sleep.

also check your diet isn't screwed up .. all sugar and junkfood is no good ..

also check you're eating breakfast .. without food your mind goes off in to spacey-land easily
 
^ I agree - diet is really important in helping you mainting concentration. If you don't have anything to eat in the morning then its unlikely you'll be able to focus properly (although I know people who NEVER eat breakfast and would probably disagree with this). But sugary foods and junk wont be helping either, they'll just make you spaced and/or hyperactive.

If you think you have ADD/ADHD etc. then perhaps see a doctor about it, although there are other ways to improve your focus besides medication.
 
Interact with the teacher. Talk, give feedback. This is the best way to stay awake in class while learning. You'll get ahead of the class too. Take advantage of the fact you have a real, sentient, human being leading your class. We are not in a socialist nation here, use your resources!
 
Interacting with the teacher and class would certainly help.....and maybe I'm missing something here, but what does not being a 'socialist nation' have to do with it?
 
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Socialism, communism... means equal share of resources.

I am just pointing out that you must capitalize on what you can. Don't bother with being polite in the classroom.

Many times the teacher does not get through the whole lecture because I ask so many questions. Better to understand the material then have the book thrown at you.

And tough. If there is an objection, the kids can say something. Obviously they don't care to learn as much.
 
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