Thirty degree weather and exams: A match made in hell

Bokang Selepe

When the Jacarandas have bloomed, and the heat becomes a representation of the academic climate, it means that the end of year exam season is upon us. Exams are always stressful regardless of the degree and for many students, the upcoming November exams will be their first time writing exams on campus. PDBY consulted the UP 2022 General Academic Regulations and Student Rules Handbook to identify some important exam rules to ensure all students enter the exam venue with the dos and don’ts when writing a UP exam. The main rules are as follows:

1. You will not be allowed to enter the exam venue without a valid student card.

2. You will not be allowed to enter the exam venue later than 30 minutes after the exam begins, and you will not be allowed to leave the venue earlier than 30 minutes after the exam begins.

3. Obey all instructions given by the invigilator.

4. All electronic communication devices including cell phones, smartwatches, earphones, laptops, and tablets must be switched off and placed on the floor under the chair and out of your line of sight. The invigilator will not provide you with any stationery or equipment required to write your exam.

6. Do not communicate with your classmates during the exam under any circumstances.

7. You are not allowed to write on any paper other than the ones provided during the exam, and you are prohibited from removing any pages from the exam script.

8. Fill in your full name, surname, student number, and signature on both the attendance slips and the exam script.

9. Do not cheat or attempt to cheat during the exam session.

If you are still feeling uncertain about the upcoming exams, PDBY consulted with various Faculty Student Advisors to find some tips to prepare for sit-down exams.

• Time management. Most exam anxiety comes from lack of preparation and procrastination. If you give yourself enough time to study, then you will enter the exams with confidence.

• Find the location of your exam venues prior to writing to avoid unnecessary stress on the day of your exams.

• On the day of the exam, do not sit amongst groups trying to cram at the last minute, as this can cause confusion and added stress.

• Do not aim to write the supplementary exam. Aim to write and pass the main exam.

• For all practical and numerical subjects, practice the formulas the day they are taught and make use of past papers in your study sessions.

• EMS students must make use of the EMS UP Principle, which is to Understand before you Practice.

• If you begin to feel nervous during the exam, make use of mantras such as “stay calm” and the thought-stopping technique. This consists of mentally shouting “STOP!” when having spiralling thoughts during the exam session.

• Be conscious of the allocated times and drafting problem with the rules or whether the Chief Justice was indeed wrong in her application of the law. To this Sibeko says, “There can be amendments made in terms of the rules, [referring to rule 7] but it refers to minor amendments and not saying that no points of order can be made.”

When asked to respond to the accusations of bias from members in attendance, the Chief Justice stated, “I went according to the rule set, so […] yeah.”

Constitutionality of the gathering – It dissolved here

Student forum was dissolved when the Residences portfolio holder, Erique Francis, suddenly left the forum and the Chief Justice decided to dissolve the proceedings and thus continue the trend of leaving 2022 Student Forums unfinished. On this, Sibeko says, “The SRC failed to account for what they have done throughout the quarter once again.” However, another concern raised during Student Forum was the limited attendance of the SRC portfolio, as only 8 out of 16 SRC members were in attendance. On this Sibeko commented, “This was a day that was set two weeks ago for student forum and there is a habit of SRC officers to avoid taking account for student forum […] how can I as a student believe that all these portfolios weren’t here and that they all have valid excuses?”

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the definitive reason for the forum ending prematurely was Francis’s departure, the continued debate over the presiding officers rulings may have equally contributed to the dissolution of the quarter four forum.

*PDBY reached out to the Secretary General of the SRC, Tarik Lalla, but could not receive a reply before going to print. Any reply supplied by Lalla will be noted on pdby.co.za read the questions thoroughly.

Exams are a personal experience that only you can prepare for. Make sure you follow the exam rules to prevent any disciplinary actions and make use of the exam tips provided by the Faculty Student Advisors to ensure that you are well prepared for your exams. Although the slogan might be a bit cheesy, the Finish Line truly is Yours. So, FLY@UP this exam season. You’ve got this.