Every year it feels the same. The teachers suddenly start talking faster, the books start looking bigger and never-ending, and your brain starts saying, “Not again.” Some kids pretend they’re ready, some are quiet but scared, some don’t give it a second thought, and some don’t even want to open a single page until the very last minute. Some are haters; these kids don’t like studying or anything connected to schoolwork.

I get it because, at one point in my life, I also felt like studies were this huge burden sitting on my tiny, tired shoulders. I even used to make the lamest excuses just to skip school. But within days, my parents noticed that my stomach ache always appeared at exactly 7:00 am and magically disappeared around 8:30 am. So that trick didn’t last long. I ran out of excuses and then came a moment when I had no escape left. I had to study and I had to sit in exams, even for the subjects I hated the most.

In those days, I would look at the smart kids in my class who loved studying and wonder… how? Why? What kind of willpower did they have? How could they sit there with their clean notes and coloured markers, smiling blissfully like everything in life was perfect?

But then I’d see a big lot of kids like me and feel relieved that I wasn’t alone. If you’re one of those who looks at a book and immediately wants to sleep, eat, scream, run away, scroll your phone or do basically anything except study… then yeah, this survival guide is for you. It’s actually more for the kids who totally hate studying, let alone sitting for exams on stuff they don’t even care about. This one’s for you.

Exams are such weird things. Whether you are someone who panics or someone silent, something inside you just changes. That light, relaxed feeling you have during regular school days just goes away, and everything feels heavy and serious, even though you don’t want to feel serious. The air feels ‘examish’.

Your parents start walking around with those suspicious eyes like they’re watching a criminal. Teachers smile like everything is normal, but you can see the hidden smirk in their eyes. And you? You’re just sitting there thinking about how badly you want a break from all of it.

Let’s start with the whole panic thing…

Before you make any routine or plan, you have to chill a little. When exams get close, the brain starts doing weird drama on its own. You start making your own scary scenarios — what if you forget everything or fail everything or your teacher stares into your soul during the exam?

Take a breath. Everyone feels that weird, heavy feeling. Even the kids who pretend they don’t care. Even the “cool” kids. It’s just that they don’t say it out loud.

So the first part of studying is actually calming down. Sit for a minute. Take a breath. Tell yourself you’re not going into a war. It’s just papers. Papers that will finish soon. And after that you can enjoy simply like you always do, in fact more, because you’ll have no academic burden. When your brain stops freaking out, studying becomes a lot easier.

A simple routine you can actually follow

Nobody expects you to magically become a topper in one week. Assign yourself only two subjects for the day. Allot one hour to each and study them slowly, in your own way.

Some kids like reading out loud, some like writing notes and some just stare at the page until the words enter their brain magically. Every brain works differently. So if your friend tells you they are studying 18 hours a day, don’t underestimate your one hour; you can do your best even in an hour and then gradually increase by another hour. And that’s it, because people like you and me who don’t like studying much, should go through small chunks of study sessions at once.

And if you have one subject that scares you, don’t jump straight into it. Start with the easy ones first, let your brain activate at its own pace. Then slowly face the scary one. A confident brain studies better than a terrified one.

Winter exams hit different, right?

Winter makes you sleepy, with cold hands, heavy eyes and a slow brain. You sit with a book in your hand and suddenly you hear someone calling you… it’s your blanket: “Come here… come sleep…” Yes, that cosy warm feeling is amazing. So it’s not because you’re a bad student, it’s just winter playing its games with you.

How to study in this situation? If it’s daytime, sit in the sunlight if you can. If it’s evening, wear warm socks and drink something warm. Don’t lie down inside your blanket because then you’re finished, sleep will wrap you like a hungry octopus.

However, if your eyes are drowning in sleep for real, I won’t recommend studying. Sleep, take rest, wake up and then study. Even if you’re studying on the floor with a cushion, that’s fine. The goal is just to stay awake and slightly alive! Remember, each weather has its own charm.

Notes don’t have to be pretty

Some kids make notes that look like beautiful pieces of art. But you, my friend, don’t have to feel embarrassed about your own messy, cryptic writing. It’s you and it’s completely you. Notes are for you, not for decoration.

Write short points, key words, tiny reminders, a messy formula, a doodle of a confused stickman — whatever your brain understands and whatever helps you remember. Remember one thing: you don’t have to impress anyone. Notes help when exams are close and your brain is acting stupid.

When there are only two or three days left before exams, these little notes save your life during revision.

Let’s talk about the scary subjects

Every kid has that one or two subjects that feel like a monster. It could be history, business, geography, maths, science, grammar. Whatever it is, you’re not the only one struggling. Some kids pretend they understand, some give up and some underestimate themselves. You should not feel ashamed if you don’t understand it the first time. Or the fifth time. Or even if you don’t understand it at all.

Don’t think, “Oh no! I have to study the whole book and there are so many topics, how will I cover them?” Just take tiny bits at a time, one page, one topic, or even half a chapter. Like I said, study-haters can’t swallow big chapters in one go. Break it down. Study small parts. Then it becomes less scary.

And if you need help, ask. Even toppers ask for help. No one learns everything alone.

Study mood matters!

Everyone thinks talking about mood is lame, but mood is what actually makes your day. And sometimes it never matches what you’re doing. So when you’re not in the mood to study, the hardest part becomes starting. Your brain acts like a brick wall.

For this, you need a small trick before studying, something that tells your mind, “Okay bro, it’s focus time.”

Maybe clean your desk or bag first. Organise your study space in a way that pleases you. The moment you open your bag, the notes, the incomplete or complete sheets, even the pencils and pens that fall out — these can flip the switch in your head from “lazy mode” to “study mode”. And it happens, I have tested this. Usually, once you open and sort your stuff, a little spark in your brain makes you open those books and notes.

The night before the exam

The moment you realise that there is so much left, you feel like crying. You panic, it’s a natural reaction. Remember, the more you study while panicking, the more your brain forgets. So revise the small things you already learnt. Go through your messy notes. Look at diagrams, important points and small summaries. Don’t overload your brain at the last moment. Take proper sleep, because a fresh mind is all you want.

When you wake up the next day (exam day), eat something light. Don’t listen to those kids who panic loudly outside the exam hall. Everyone has their own way. Stick to yours.

Exams are just a part of your academic life. They come and go. Your marks don’t decide your personality, your worth, your talent or your whole future. You can be good at one thing and not good at many things. Everyone is like that.

Still, studying a little helps you move forward, so give it a try. Slowly. In your own style.

Trust yourself — you’ll get through this.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 29th, 2025