for the A-chaser who refuses to cram the night before
Goal
Walk into the exam having reviewed every chunk once, one day at a time.
Source principle
Begin exam prep five days out, dividing material into one chunk per day rather than cramming. : from How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport.
The plan
- 🗺️D-5 9:00-10:00 AMMap syllabus into 4 chunks, write the chunk list.
- 📖D-5 1:00-3:00 PMStudy chunk 1: read → recall → flashcards.
- 🔁D-4 9:00-10:00 AMRecall chunk 1 from memory, mark gaps.
- 📖D-4 1:00-3:00 PMStudy chunk 2 with the same loop.
- 🧩D-3 1:00-3:00 PMStudy chunk 3, build synthesis map across chunks 1-3.
- 📖D-2 1:00-3:00 PMStudy chunk 4, run practice problems not re-reading.
- 🧪D-1 9:00-11:00 AMFull mock under exam conditions, no notes, timed.
- 🎯D-1 1:00-3:00 PMGap drill: only the topics the mock exposed.
- 🌙Daily 8:00-8:30 PM30-min recall of today's chunk, no new material after 9 PM.
- 😴Daily 11:00 PMLights out, sleep is non-negotiable this week.
- ☀️Exam day 7:00-7:30 AMLight recall at breakfast, no cramming, walk in calm.
- ✅Exam day 12:00-12:30 PMPost-exam: log what worked for next time, done.