I need a pep talk (university exam)

[peptalkneeded]

I have an exam on Tuesday. I am a mature student and usually really diligent. I never miss deadlines, I get good grades etc.

But 2019 has been rough. I spent Jan Feb and March really unwell with virus and cold after virus and cold. I managed to scrape through courseworks and assessments with decent marks but it was a real push. Think in bed at 1am doing coursework between throwing up.

Anyway, once I began to feel better a couple of things happened. First my ex had a breakdown and that affected DD. I spent a lot of time talking him down, being there for her and dealing with her anger and confusion. Then when things were settling down, the same DD had to give evidence in a CSA case as a witness. It was stressful and my head was just not in the game at all. I was a mess while having to hold it together for DD.

Then we reached a point where I felt the time pressure for the exam coming up and I was panicking. I was putting in the hours with revision but I wasn't very productive...really distracted, needed lots of breaks, felt like it wasn't going in.

Now that is my personal pity party moan over. Practically, I am not prepared for this exam, but none of that is enough to trigger the exception circumstances procedure, and even if it was, I booked a holiday thinking the resit exam period was after the holiday, but changes were made last month which means the resit period now overlaps with the holiday. So I can't even "pull a sicky" as it were.

So I have tonight tomorrow and Monday to pull this out of my ass and I am still somewhat in brain panic mode. Does anyone have any advice on how the hell to get through this?

In case it is relevant it is a 2 hour exam, 4 questions one from each topic area. The revision I have done has covered broad areas but I am worried about not having the depth of knowledge I need to be able to cite evidence and at this point I don't know where to direct my efforts in case that area doesn't come up on the exam. If I can scrap through a 50% I will have a low 2.1 for the module (all my marks so far have been firsts so that will be regrettable but not catastrophic.) But right now it feels like even 50% isn't achievable.

Face slaps and stern words welcomed.

Wow, it sounds like you’ve had such a tough year :( but well done for getting as far as you have, it’s a real achievement!

What kind of exams are they, OP? Quite often for essay based exams, the important thing, far more than what you know, is how you use what you know to answer the questions. Also, do you have a mark scheme?

Past papers. They'll have (often very) similar themes each year, so spend some time putting together outline answers.

Good luck!

They are essay style but with only 30 mins per question they are short essays. There is a university wide marks scheme which I am familiar with but it is not specific to the subject or to the exams.

I just know that they are expecting depth of knowledge and appropriate citations to back up claims made, as well as critical evaluation of the evidence written about. The subject is Psychology so it needs to include outlines of studies/journal citations.

So while I feel like I could hold my own in a conversation about any of the topics taught this year, I just cannot seem to take in all the studies and citations that I need to. I could give brief summaries, but not necessarily remember who said what.

Thanks. Yep I have all the past papers and I have some outlines already but I don't feel like I even remember the outline never mind being able to fill them out. My brain has turned to mush and it is really not like me at all.

Of course your brain feels mushy, you’re exhausted and stressed and asking it to do lots of work while it’s exhausted and stressed!

Can you try a change of tack? I’m assuming you already know the main players, where citations are concerned, so can you set up like a panel (physically or draw it) where they “talk” to each other. Literally play it out. Imagine the really old studies as really old men. Imagine the really recent ones as children or young ones. Farce it up if it helps. The actual depth you can go into per study be pretty superficial on written exams, so I’m guessing what’s important is who did what, said what, and in doing so, refuted someone else?

I would make cards or something. On each card write a book/paper and just one or 2 lines from that book that are relevant. I think you said you have 4 areas so if there's no crossover try to put them up in 4 areas of your house. Like one group in the kitchen and read them whenever your making a cuppa. One lot in the bathroom, living room and dining. Something like that where you might sit and read a few at a time while doing other things. Then in the exam try to imagine sitting in that area of your house and the cards in their locations. It can help sometimes with memory.

I think that while you don't think your circumstances merit special consideration, you should consult your course director and tell them exactly the kind of year you've had. It won't hurt for them to be aware. Sometimes it's not individual events, but the accumulation of small and not so small stresses that affect you.

How’s revision going now, OP? Sending you lots of encouragement for today (I’m writing a dissertation at high speed, too!) You’ve got this!

Calm down. Get off mumsnet. Look over your revision notes and underline research etc. Then reduce the underlining to short sentences. Then provide yourself with a pneumonic phrase which unlocks several of those pieces of research. You probably know more than you think you do. Lying in a bath and thinking out what you know could also help. But blooming get off mumsnet. That’s an order.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

Unfortunately I think I have failed the exam. :(

I am picking myself up and moving on though. I gave myself yesterday after it to wallow and today I am getting some housework done and a bit of brain space to recharge, and then tomorrow it will be back to studying for the next two. Thankfully they are much more manageable and I am confident I can do well.

As someone who is also currently in at university my advice is don't sweat it too much. You say yourself you get good grades in your coursework, so that will help you out and even if you don't do as well as you'd like on this module you now have time to revise and do well for the next two exams, so as hard as it is try to file it away to worry about later.

Thanks Blue.

This year is only worth 10% of the final degree so I am trying to keep that in mind and remember that this is only a small percentage loss. I just really didn't want to have to resit but what is done is done.

It is so unlike me though. I think I just took my eye off the ball because of everything else that was going on and it all just became overwhelming.

Family are also telling me to approach my personal tutor about the stuff that has gone on, but to be honest I just want to move forward. I have no idea how I would collect evidence for my ex being suicidal and DD having to give evidence. The thought of approaching anyone to gain that evidence is worse than the thought of having a bad mark.

Don't forget that everyone takes their eye off the ball from time to time though, you've had so much on your plate and I don't think I could have done as well as you have in your circumstances. This is a teeny tiny part of your final grade, try to remember that.
For what it's worth I would second your family about going to see your personal tutor. You've been under so much stress, it will have affected your marks, there's no shame in that. It might be that you have to provide evidence, but I highly doubt it'll be as bad as you think, and the worst case scenario is they say they can't help you in this case, but that they're aware of it. They are, ultimately, there to help you, so I think
you've got nothing to lose talking to them.

I don't know if it's possible working at your level and in your field, but can you hunt a few citations that double or triple up in their usefulness- that can prove a but also illustrate b or refer to c and contradict d. That way you need only focus on a handful for each essay instead of one for each potential point raised.
I would also definitely have a word with your supervisor and explain extenuating circumstances. An ex partner's breakdown impacting on your child, and your child being called as a CSA witness all take their toll. If you are borderline in this but have a first in all other subjects, they will take this into account. They won't want a potential first to be knocked down to a 2:1 and should take mitigating circumstances into account. But you'll need to fill out forms and get them countersigned - all of which takes up valuable revision time.