Behind the Ivy - Summer 2018

ACADEMICS

E X A M P R E PAT O RY M I N D S E T

EL I SA SHI

preaching this.” While this is true, starting this exam season, I have a goal; instead of making the complaints that I have perfected over the years, I’m going to try to do something productive, like reviewing notes, or even just walking away from the conversation. I refuse to get myself stuck in the same set mindset this year, and I am excited to see how I’ll grow by taking on this new approach. This season, I challenge you to try and do the same, or at the very least, try to notice how the conversation around exams is shaped. As this is my first time trying this, it might end up to be a total failure, but I have a good feeling about this. One of the articles in this issue is on tips for exams, written by the amazing Emma Gurney, and I strongly suggest you check it out. See what steps you can take, and maybe try to take a more positive approach to exams this year. Best of luck on all of your exams!

about some exam or another. I have no doubt that others will chime in and that, eventually, there will be a gaggle of girls stressing out about an assessment. There’s no shame in this, I do it, too; it feels almost therapeutic. But I want to highlight that stressing about the exam isn’t going to make you do any better. In fact, it will most likely lower your performance. The main reason for this is that your mindset is an important factor that influences how well you do on an exam. When you think of exams negatively, you end up already thinking about the worst outcome, and consequently, you subconsciously study and do your work half-heartedly. It is almost easier to do this because, at the end, if you don’t do well, you can say, “I didn’t really try,” and not have to feel the disappointment. But this is not what you want. It’s better to put your best foot forward, and the only way to do this is by having an open mind to exams and treating them as a way to show your learning, not as tests that you can pass or fail. If you know me personally, you will probably roll your eyes and say, “Elisa, you are the last person who should be

It is that time of the year again. No, it is not another three week break. It is exam season. Exams are a sore spot for most, if not all, students for obvious reasons. It is a stressful and, frankly, draining time of year, both physically and emotionally. The list of reasons to despise these despicable assessments of learning are never-ending. But as exams approach, I can’t help but take notice of my negative mindset towards them, since exams honestly aren’t as bad as they seem. If you’re anything like me, exam season is a time to complain about your grades, assessments, the marking system, and maybe even the Ontario government for creating the curriculum in the first place. In short, a lot of complaining is going on. And I know I’m not alone; lots of girls share this same outlook. But, I’ve come to realize that exam season is really quite toxic, as we feed off of each other’s negativity. Girls will break down in tears. All nighters will probably be pulled. During the next few weeks, I will probably be able to pinpoint at least four stressed-out conversations in which one of my fellow Tenth Graders will start complaining

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