What do you dread most during exams?

Noella Micallef, B.Sc. (Hons) Physiotherapy, fourth year.

Throughout my four years, I have had quite a few end-of-year exams which encompassed the whole two semesters. This meant higher stress levels.

The end-of-year exams should be split up into smaller units, and not just one general exam, so the student can concentrate on each topic further and this also provides more guidance while studying.

Next month I will be sitting for my final examinations and will therefore be tested on what I’ve learnt throughout my four years at university.

Also, students taking up exams at Mater Dei hospital may have experienced wobbly desks and the ventilator/air-conditioning system always tends to be too cold, and could never be regulated properly when attempts were made.

Nicole Scerri, B.A. Geography (Hons), third year.

My biggest fears of the upcoming exams are the final synoptic exams. For these exams we have to recall all our previous courses and integrate all the knowledge together. Although these are use-ful exams, they require a lot of studying.

I love geography because it is such a vast subject that one can always continue to read and learn new things about any topic. One has to hope that one can remember all this information not only for the exams, but also for the future. There is also the fear of looking at a question in an exam paper, knowing you studied and know how to answer the question, but you cannot remember anything that you studied.

Then there is always the long wait until you receive results. This year I will be waiting eagerly to receive not only my exam results, but also the results of my thesis.

Colette Caruana, B.A. (Hons) Geography, third year.

I absolutely dread people talking about everything they have studied just before you walk into the examination room. Is there really any need to flaunt everything you know and have studied in others’ faces?

Also, I dread the thought of someone reading what I am writing over my shoulder, and I don’t mean cheating, I mean some invigilators have a habit of doing this.

Another thing I dread is seeing people ask for a new script half way through the exam… can they have possibly written that much already when I’ve only written three pages?