In my 2nd year first semester, I had to take “Butunleme”. And it was the first time I felt like a failure
Butunleme is the common word in Türkiye for “resit exam”
In my second year, first semester of university, something happened that shattered my confidence – I had to retake a final exam. It was an unfamiliar feeling of failure for me, considering my academic history. From primary school to university, I had never failed a course I had actually studied for. The worst I ever got was an average grade, typically around 50 or 60.
However, my first-year had 2 hiccups. I had to take “Butunleme” for Programming 101. This was as a result of a scheduling conflict with another exam. In the second semester of my first year, I also had to take “Butunleme” for Mathematics due to the high failure rate in the class, which was partly the teacher’s fault.
So, technically, I had never truly failed a course I genuinely put effort into until the day I received an F in Discrete Mathematics. It was a shocking blow.
This particular course had two midterm exams worth 30 points each, and the final exam was worth 40 points. The entire class struggled in both midterms, and I was no exception. When the midterms were combined, I had only scored 27 points. To pass the course, I needed a minimum of 50 points overall, which meant I had to get at least 23 points from the final exam, equating to a score of at least 65 out of 100.
I decided to study intensely for three days, covering 11 out of the 12 topics (cos I truly enjoyed this course). My strategy was to rely on my understanding of these topics to answer the questions. I hoped the teacher would set four questions from four different topics, and I would be able to answer at least three correctly, giving me a score of 75/100.
However, fate had different plans. The one topic I hadn’t studied was worth 40 marks, and I couldn’t complete my solutions for two out of the remaining three questions. I performed miserably on the exam, and I’m too embarrassed to reveal my actual score.
But here’s the turning point in my story: I reached out to a Turkish classmate who consistently scored well in all subjects. I explained how I had diligently studied the slides for the course but still failed. His advice was simple yet profound. He asked me if I had solved past questions, to which I replied, “No.”
He explained that the lecturer had a distinct pattern when setting questions, and these patterns became apparent after solving past questions from previous years. He graciously shared a link to past questions from his Google Drive and even provided similar questions from Carnegie Mellon University in the United States.
To my amazement, I scored exceptionally well on the final exam and ended up with a C overall for the course.
So, what’s the lesson here? There are several key takeaways:
- A – Don’t just study hard for some courses; also, solve past questions. Studying hard alone may not be enough. Understanding the patterns of how questions are asked can make a significant difference.
- B – Aim to excel in your midterms to reduce the pressure of final exams. While focusing on midterms is essential, keep in mind that some courses may require you to secure a substantial portion of your final exam grade to pass.
- C – Solve Past Questions. Solving past questions is crucial to grasping the specific exam patterns and improving your chances of success.
- D – Study Hard and Solve Past Questions. Combining diligent study with the practice of solving past questions is a winning strategy.
In conclusion, my experience highlights the importance of learning from failure and seeking the right strategies to overcome academic challenges. Remember, it’s not just about studying hard; it’s about studying smart.
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