Acing Your Exams: Your Roadmap to a First-Class CGPA
On February 1, 2024, Abdulhakam Obejera was celebrated as the best graduating student among the 2023 graduating class. This achievement was the result of unwavering dedication, hard work, and prayer.
While others slept soundly, Abdulhakam labored tirelessly. He sought advice from senior colleagues and fervently prayed for success.
When asked about his accomplishments, Abdulhakam would recount the countless hours spent poring over his textbooks, handouts, and past questions.
Musa Bature, a 500-level Mechanical Engineering scholar, followed a similar path. Achieving a perfect 5.00 GPA in his first year and maintaining a first-class standing from 100 to 500 level, Musa's journey was marked by early preparation, hard work, and a strong spiritual connection.
Like Abdulhakam and Musa, all scholars at FUTMINNA invest considerable time and effort into their studies to achieve and sustain a first-class CGPA.
But how did they achieve this remarkable feat?
Simple…Let’s break it down into three stages:
Before the Exam Period:
Effective and Smart Study: Studying goes beyond mere reading or pulling all-nighters(TDB). It involves avoiding distractions, focusing on relevant materials for each course, breaking down complex concepts for better understanding, and identifying your peak study times—whether you're a morning person or a night owl.
Practice problem-solving, especially in calculation-heavy courses, and use mnemonics for subjects requiring memorization and cramming.
Review Past Questions: Past questions are invaluable resources for exam preparation. They provide insights into the lecturer's question-setting patterns. Sometimes, lecturers repeat past questions verbatim.
In addition to past questions, review assignments and classwork given during lectures.
Ensure Adequate Rest: Prioritize sufficient rest before exams to avoid fatigue or mental lapses during the test. You don't want to doze off while writing your examinations or blank out because you didn't get enough sleep. So always make sure to get enough rest.
Peer Review: Engage in discussions with peers at your level and those in higher levels. Higher-level peers can offer insights based on their experiences, while classmates can help fill in any gaps in your understanding.
Collaboration is key, especially before exam days, as it broadens your knowledge base and prepares you for any possible question angle.
During the Exam Period:
Adhere to Exam Regulations: Follow all exam rules and regulations, including bringing your ID card, dressing properly, and avoiding any form of cheating or misconduct.
Carefully Read Instructions: Read exam instructions thoroughly to avoid missing important details or requirements.
Arrive Early: Arrive at the exam venue ahead of time to minimize stress and ensure a smooth start to the exam.
Avoid Exam Malpractice: Maintain integrity and uphold moral standards during exams. Cheating undermines the value of education and goes against Islamic principles.
Regularly Check Your Timetable: Stay updated on exam schedules to avoid missing any exam.
Dua - Supplications: Read Hard, Pray Harder: Don't abandon your solat because of examinations. Guard and establish your solah. Pray to Allah for guidance and retentive memory.
If you want 5.0, call on Allah, and He'll surely answer. Before, during, and after examinations, here is a list of Duas you can say. Include them in your daily supplication, recite them before and after each examination.
رب زدني علماً
Oh my creator, increase me in knowledge'
اللهم إني أسألك علماً نافعاً
"Allahumma inni asaluka 'ilman naafia"
"O Allah, I ask you for beneficial knowledge"
When you want to start your test, it is advised that you say the below dua':
اللهم لا سهلاً إلا ما جعلته سهلا وانت تجعل الحزن إذا شئت سهلا
"Allahumma laa sahla illa maa ja'ltahuu sahla wa anta taj'alul hazna idha shi'ta sahla"
O Allah, there is no ease except in that which You have made easy, and You make the difficulty, if You wish, easy.'
If you become anxious during the course of your test or you suddenly forgot what you have read, it is advised that you say the below dua':
اللهم يا معلم إبراهيم علمني ويا مفهم سليمان فهمني
"Allahumma yaa mua'lima Ibrahim 'alimniy wa yaa mufahima
"O Allah, just as you have given prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) knowledge, give me knowledge, and give me understanding just as you have given prophet Suleiman (A.S.)"
When you are done with your test, it is advised you say the below dua':
أفوض أمري إلى الله
"Ufawidh amriy ilallah"
I entrust my affair to Allah.
In conclusion, ensure proper time management before, during, and after exams. Don't waste time in frivolities whether inside the exam hall or outside.
Also, remember that you have the ability to control your intentions and preparations for the exam. But you have no control over the results. So put in your best, pray for the best, and rely on Allah for the best.
May Allah grant us retentive memory, good grades, and success in this life and hereafter. Aameen.
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