Do you know that memorising or cramming effectively a night before your exam can dramatically improve your academic performance? It does the magic and that’s exactly what I will teach you in this article –How To Cram.
I read to understand because I don’t know how to cram and pass. This was my confession when I got a bad result in three hundred level (300L) first semester. The result was bad in the sense that my GP dropped from first class.
I credited my performance to the fact that I didn’t have enough time for academics like I used to (Based on blogging, SEO, Programming, etc). However, the real issue was that I started reading close to the Examination and tried to understand everything in a very short while (which I wasn’t fast enough to do).
If I had understood the concept of cramming, I would have been able to read everything two nights to the exam and still outperform those who started reading earlier. Let’s see what cramming has to bring to the table.
What's in this guide?
What Cramming Is All About?
In education, cramming is the practice of working intensively to absorb large volumes of informational material in short amounts of time.
Since your grade in school is proportional to the volume of materials you consume, then the only way to learn a lot when the exams are already close is to cram and pour it out.
The difference between cramming and reading to understand is that you may not understand when you are cramming, however, you can understand what you crammed with time.
Cramming and memorising work hand in hand but you tend to easily forget what you cram. Cramming is a function of time….. That’s why it is best done when your exams are already close.
In summary, when your friend reads a night before the exam and still score higher than you who have been studying, then it is called CRAMMING.
Reasons Why You Should Cram?
Now that you understand what cramming is about, another question comes to mind. Are you encouraging me to cram?
Generally, I won’t encourage you to cram. But, when certain circumstances arise, you have no option but to cram.
I will list and explain the reasons why you should cram or memorise very fast….
- Some examiners need you to cram.
- The exams are already close and you still have a lot to cover.
- The subject/course is just too difficult for you to understand.
- The topic requires you to memorise.
- When the test is german objective.
- When your exam involves formulas.
Now, let me explain:
The Tutor Needs It: It is no news that many teachers score their students low when they don’t answer the question exactly how it was written in the book.
They will tell you “give me exactly what I taught you”. In this case, you have no other option but to cram and pour it out in the exam hall.
Your Examination Is At Hand: You just have to cram when it is already a day to your exam and you still got about 10 topics to cover.
The Course Is Difficult: There are courses that need not be understood. You just have to memorise them. Examples are the big terminologies in biology, heavy formulas in electromagnetism, etc.
The Subject Demands You Memorise: When it involves things like continents in the world, first 50 elements in the periodic table, the top 10 most played songs, the most beautiful cities and so on; you don’t need to understand.
All that is required is that you put them to memory. Besides, nobody would ask you to list the first 20 elements in your own words.
German Obj: These are courses that require you to cram the textbook and fill blank spaces exactly how it appeared in the required textbook. Filling something else will make you lose marks.
When It Has To Do With Formulas: When you are sure that you will never be asked to prove the formula, no need to learn how to derive it. In fact, deriving the formula before solving will waste your time.
See Also: How to answer exam questions with the speed of light.
What Next? How to cram. For some time now, I have been doing research on how to cram and still score very high in exams. Do you want to know how? Then continue reading……
How To Memorise Or Cram Effectively
Eat Brain Enhancing Food: Eat what would make you light and ready to assimilate.
Rest A Little: Don’t just rush into cramming after work or stress. Try to relax your brain a little.
Bring Out Your Materials And Have An Overview: Glance through the required topics and point out the relevant points that would be asked.
Use Past Questions: The Use of past questions will further aid you to pick out likely exam questions when doing an overview.
If questions are often repeated in the exam, then cram a few years of past questions.
Break The Cramming Process In Stages: Break your work into different cramming stages. Say things like, “After cramming this, I will cram that”
Read, Close And Write: When you have identified and broken down what you want to cram in points, read a point twice and close the note or pdf material you are studying….
Try to repeat exactly what you have read. If you are not able to repeat it or you are missing some points, go through it again and close your note. Continue this process until you have been able to repeat exactly what you have read.
If you are able to recall what you have read, then write it down in your note. Compare what you have written down to what is stated in the material.
Do this for all the points you have jotted down and you won’t have any problem trying to recall.
Set Cramming Interval: Set at least two minutes to rest your head after you have successfully crammed a point.
Don’t Read Something Else: To avoid mix up, don’t read anything not related to the subject you are cramming and don’t let anyone distract you.
Go Through: Go through what you have crammed immediately before entering the exam hall so that they will remain in your “random access memory”.
Read: Proven Tips To Read Longer At Night
With the tips above and strong determination from you, cramming to pass will be very easy for you.
Waec and Jamb candidates will also find these tips helpful. I wish you the best!
