Exam driving me mad (Telecomms) - Just a rant

[Pladio]

I'm going insane. I have a Telecommunications Engineering exam on Thursday and I'm realizing I really should have gone to lectures. It's much harder than I thought and I'm up at three AM trying to make sense into all of it.

Aahhhh.

One day left and I still don't even know half of what I'm supposed to know. This isn't looking good.

Well, except for AM,FM and PM, I need to learn about receiving all of those and also about doing that with noise and interference. I then need to learn about different systems to guide waves in, and also without any guides. And the Transmission Lines and the physics behind all of it.

Well, good luck to me and maybe I'll get all of it in the next day.

Poor me

 

[Prime Junta]

Good luck, Pladio. I'm pretty sure most people have been in that situation, and most of those eventually ended up graduating, so don't lose more sleep over it than you have to.

 

[Corwin]

...er, why didn't you go to lectures?

 

[Surlent]

Heh, does the course you are studying go indepth to signal modulation? The mathematics in that area can sometimes get a bit puzzling.

I understand your point though. I used to go always where the bar was the lowest so to speak (not saying you are mind you) until I finally figured out that habit didn't really work in every situation not to mention give good end results.

If you're studying in uni, you probably have a chance to try to take that test again several times until you finally pass it. And even so, the lectures might be presented again next year. Not much of comfort I know, but at least it isn't a total loss.

 

[Bartacus]

Cool stuff, if you ask me. Elektromagnetic transmission was one of my favourites which covers most likely the same stuff you have to learn: antenna's, line impedance, ray diagrams, ...
Got an 18/20 for this in August (Means that I didn't do well in June )

 

[Benedict]

...er, why didn't you go to lectures?

I didn't go to lectures at university, far too early in the morning for my sleeping pattern back then.

I did get all the notes though and I'm very good at teaching myself, and also good enough at planning my time to start revising early.

 

[Pladio]

...er, why didn't you go to lectures?

Boring lecturer mostly. Other parts include laziness, nonchalantness, stupidity...

 

[GothicGothicness]

LOL, don't do the most common mistake of all, stay up too late to study and be too tired to think clearly on the exam........ It amazes me how people think they can get a good score on exams without having slept before it.

I always had a good sleep before every exam and I almost never studied much for them, and I almost always passed So just listen to me and SLEEP!

 

[Pladio]

Heh, does the course you are studying go indepth to signal modulation? The mathematics in that area can sometimes get a bit puzzling.

I understand your point though. I used to go always where the bar was the lowest so to speak (not saying you are mind you) until I finally figured out that habit didn't really work in every situation not to mention give good end results.

If you're studying in uni, you probably have a chance to try to take that test again several times until you finally pass it. And even so, the lectures might be presented again next year. Not much of comfort I know, but at least it isn't a total loss.

Well, I don't think I'll fail, but I won't get a First Class average for the course (UK 70+%), which is what I'm actually aiming for. I really hope I don't fail.
Although taking the test again is possible if I fail, the first grade I get is the one that counts towards my degree.

It does go quite in depth, There's probably even more in depth than this. Actually the modulation part is quite easy, compared to the others. It's the demodulation part I don't get too well and then the other topics, like guided systems, unguided systems and transmission lines... Stuff like: Skywave, spacewave and groundwave propagation. Waveguides and other stuff. Lots of formulas to remember.

 

[Pladio]

Cool stuff, if you ask me. Elektromagnetic transmission was one of my favourites which covers most likely the same stuff you have to learn: antenna's, line impedance, ray diagrams, ...
Got an 18/20 for this in August (Means that I didn't do well in June )

I don't like comunications stuff, but part of my compulsory modules for the first 3 years have some aspect of it embedded in it. Last year was simple introduction to communications. We went further into signals last semester with Fourier Transforms and the like and now we're going more into depth. I never liked any of it

 

[Pladio]

I didn't go to lectures at university, far too early in the morning for my sleeping pattern back then.

I did get all the notes though and I'm very good at teaching myself, and also good enough at planning my time to start revising early.

Well, I didn't start until about 3-4 weeks before exams. Which apparently isn't enough to learn 3 subjects you haven't been to classes to. If I could do it all over I would probably go to lectures. The only problem is that I would fall asleep then...

 

[Pladio]

LOL, don't do the most common mistake of all, stay up too late to study and be too tired to think clearly on the exam........ It amazes me how people think they can get a good score on exams without having slept before it.

I always had a good sleep before every exam and I almost never studied much for them, and I almost always passed So just listen to me and SLEEP!

I probably won't be able to do that so well. My sleeping pattern is going to bed at around 4AM
My first exam is at 1PM, so that's ok, but I have another one the next day at 9AM

 

[coyote]

I know this situation all too well. This is why I know the following can be extremely difficult to do: avoid getting mad being nervous about it, sit down and study, it is amazing how much one can learn in one day if you can avoid getting distracted (by posting in this message board for example )

Remember Gothicness' warning and best of luck with the exam!

P.S.: And the usual stuff: I remember information best when I think about it going to sleep. The best method for storing information in the brain is different for different people: some need to write it down, some need to hear it or talk about it, some need to apply it to an example, some need only look at it once. I am of the writing down and applying type, but then learning by heart was never a strength of mine.

 

[Krzychu]

I'm going insane. I have a Telecommunications Engineering exam on Thursday and I'm realizing I really should have gone to lectures. It's much harder than I thought and I'm up at three AM trying to make sense into all of it.

Aahhhh.

One day left and I still don't even know half of what I'm supposed to know. This isn't looking good.

Don't you just love student life? Last night I was also up till 3 AM, writing some stuff which I *could've* written like a week ago, heh. I won't lie to you, you're in one of the more hardcore situations, although I'm sure you know it. Still, not going to lectures repeatedly is not a very good idea... even when you don't take notes, some stuff usually stays somewhere in that head.

Good luck, mate, and cheers! Here's to all the students who are having their exams, or will have them soon!

 

[Pladio]

18 hours left and I'm on RPGWatch

 

[Krzychu]

Plenty of time! I mean, plenty as in "you can still do it, but you better not waste anymore time". How much do you usually sleep?

 

[Pladio]

15

I know the the two 'supposedly' most important parts of the exam, but I don't know anything else. Which means I know two out of 7 subjects almost perfectly.
He only asks to answer 3 out of 5 questions on the exam though.
Which if he asks both of them at the level he asked past years exams, then I should get about 60% for these two questions together. I just need to answer one more question properly. The problem is to study 5 subjects in 6 hours or so ...


I sleep whenever I feel tired and wake up usually 8 hours later if nothing wakes me up earlier. I probably won't sleep for 8 hours tonight and tomorrow night neither.

 

[Corwin]

My technique when I didn't know enough a few hours before an exam was to drink lots of red wine. Always worked for me and the best thing was, afterwards, I couldn't remember a single thing about the exam!! Ah, my mis-spent youth!!

 

[Pladio]

@Corwin: I don't do that. I just start everything a bit late. I usually still manage to do above average, but by not attending lectures this semester I doubt I will do very well this time.
On a tangent, I've seen many people who seem to turn to religion after drinking or some addiction. Also a subject in movies,... Is that what happened to you ?

@Anyone else :Well, for anyone interested, I think I did alright. Not great but maybe with a bit of luck enough to get the 70%.
I have another exam in 6 hours. Still have to try one past exam paper, read one section of notes and then read my own small summary of some important points.

This is Electronic Engineering now. It's about Transistors, Oscillators, ADC/DAC, Memory(EPROM,SRAM,...),... The big topic aren't too hard, it's more the remembering of all the little advantages of the smaller circuits and then hope that he doesn't only ask hard questions.

Off to memory now, see you guys! Good luck everyone

 

[Krzychu]

My technique when I didn't know enough a few hours before an exam was to drink lots of red wine. Always worked for me and the best thing was, afterwards, I couldn't remember a single thing about the exam!!

@Pladio: I hope you did alright. My exams start in two weeks, but it's the 4th year, so fortunately I don't have many to take.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm kinda sad that the academic year is nearing it's end.