This week, our team had an opportunity to interview one of our very first Rangers, who managed to complete his Bed studies in 2020. Tshiamo has been a Ranger at SCI since its founding. He is passionate about teaching and ensuring the academic success of young people.
How do you balance work life and exams?
First of all I respect time. I always ensure that I schedule and prioritize all the tasks I have to do whether it is with family or schoolwork. Secondly I do things according to my schedule. It takes a lot of discipline to stick to the schedule because at times ‘life happens’ and it could derail you. But if I have set out time to study, then that is exactly what I will do. If I have set out time to spend with family, then I will spend time with them. I always ensure that I complete my workload in the office or set out time to ensure that I do not miss deadlines that will clash with my schoolwork and personal life.
How do you prepare for exams?
During exam time, I minimize the time I spend on watching television as well as the time I spend on social media. I also try to get enough rest and take naps when needed. For example:
- I only spend an hour watching television. This could be my favourite show to help me distress or videos that will uplift me on YouTube.
- During exams, I try to sleep at least six hours, especially during the difficult times. I usually wake up at night because it is difficult to sleep knowing that I did not have enough time of study. So I will set out at least a few chapter goals that I need to reach in order to get adequate sleep.
What do you do to keep up with work, school, and personal demands?
To make sure that I don’t have lot of work that I have to do, I prefer to do any tasks that I receive immediately. If there is too much on my plate, I try to use some of my resting time to do what I was supposed to do during that time.
On weekends I make sure that I am done with my work before noon. This enables me to spend more quality time with my family and peers. Just as a preference, I also prefer to a do lot of my work after hours when people are asleep or on weekends when they are busy enjoying life. There are less distractions and disturbances at night.
Do you have last advice for learners and students writing exams during this time?
Yes. Always remember that time wasted is never gained. So use your time wisely by scheduling and prioritizing the different aspects of your schoolwork and personal life.
For more exam tips we recommend the following websites:
- Chemistry Bench – 10 Effective Exam Preparation Tips for High School Students
- National Society of High School Scholars – Exam study tips for high school students: how to thrive on test day
- Longdale Institute – 11 Tips to Balance Study and Part-Time Work