for the procrastinator who avoided exam prep until the eve and needs rescue
Goal
Triage to the top 3 topics and drill them, no shame, no new material.
Source principle
When you've avoided exam prep until the eve, triage to the top 3 topics and drill, not the whole syllabus. : from How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport.
The plan
- 🗣️4:00-4:15 PMName the avoided exam prep out loud, no shame.
- 📋4:15-4:30 PMList every topic, rank by likely exam weight.
- 🎯4:30-4:45 PMPick the top 3 only, ignore the rest.
- 🧠4:45-5:30 PMQuiz-and-recall topic 1, no notes.
- 🚶5:30-5:45 PMWalk + hydrate, off the desk.
- 🧠5:45-6:30 PMQuiz-and-recall topic 2, no notes.
- 🍽️6:30-7:30 PMDinner, off all screens.
- 🧠7:30-8:15 PMQuiz-and-recall topic 3, no notes.
- ✍️8:15-8:45 PMWrite 5 likely questions across the 3 topics.
- ✅8:45-9:15 PMAnswer them from memory, no notes.
- ✏️9:15-9:45 PMMark the worst gaps, that's morning's only task.
- ⏰9:45-10:00 PMSet 6:30 AM alarm, phone across the room.
- 😴10:00 PMLights out, sleep is the last study tool.