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29 October 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa
Exam read more
Once you have done all your exam preparation, it is imperative to make sure that you curb your stress levels as much as possible on the day that you have to write. The calmer you are, the better the outcome!

Final exam season has arrived at the University of the Free State (UFS), and we would like to share a few quick and easy tips you can follow to ensure that you make it through successfully!
Here’s how you can beat exams: 

Step 1: Make sure that you prepare well beforehand to give yourself enough time to study. Prepare a study schedule that fits your way of studying, and do not leave anything for the last minute. It is probably easier to thrive on last-minute studying, but often this way of partial study is not the best approach for exam prep. Prioritise your studying based on how many exams you have, how many pages you have to learn, and the days you have left to study. 

Step 2: Study and practise your work using previous exam papers. This will help you see and understand the format and formulation of possible questions, and can aid you in knowing what to expect, and help you practise and estimate how much time you should spend on answering each question.

Step 3: Eat healthy and use your study/friend groups as a stimulant. Make sure to stock up and energise yourself with a lot of water and nutritional study snacks to extend your concentration and commitment to studying. Avoid overeating and consuming rich, fatty foods that will make you feel tired and sleepy. Likewise, studying in groups can also help you get the answers you need and finish tasks faster. You may have questions that your friends have the answers to, as long as you effectively plan how much time you spend deliberating on a question.

Last but not least, make sure that you give yourself regulated study breaks between various chapters or topics, and let your brain take it all in!

Please find the official end-of-year exam timetable here.

News Archive

Justin J. Kennedy leads new Programme in Personal Excellence
2012-05-08

 

Justin J. Kennedy
Photo: Leatitia Pienaar
8 May 2012

Justin J. Kennedy has been appointed as the Manager of the new Programme in Personal Excellence. The programme is hosted in the Centre for Business Dynamics, the commercial unit of the Business School.

He studied at Rhodes University and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and his research has been published in various health-related publications. His D.Psych. at the University of California migrated into a Ph.D. with research partner DiscoveryHealth.

While in New York, he was part of the research laboratory Helicor that developed the world’s first hand-held medical device for measuring heart-rate variability of the peripheral nervous system.  This device forms part of the programmes offered to control stress and improve cognitive performance as per clinical trials at the UCT Department of Human Biology. This programme evolved into developing the M.Sc. course work on occupational stress and Ph.D. student supervision.

The programme will launch during the university's Beneficiary Programme for Academic Heads of Department, and will focus on the neuro-economics of stress resilience.

Justin’s most recent research is peer review for an international leadership journal where he has presented evidence on how people can improve their cognitive performance and working memory by building functional stress resilience. The overall aim of the programme is to not only reduce stress, but to improve ability to be excellent at work.  Clinical results have shown it is beneficial for performance anxiety, insomnia, migraine, hypertension control and improved ability at cognitive tasks.  The aim of his work is to ensure that simple and practical skills provide academics, students and corporate participants with enduring, functional techniques that are easily applied in their working lives.

The programme has three roles: to offer services that equip students and academics; consulting services to corporate clients, financial groups and private hospitals; and publication of results in peer-reviewed journals. 

This initiative also envisages offering a postgraduate qualification and selected coaching qualifications.  For more info about corporate interventions and programmes open to students and academics, please contact Ansie Barnard at barnardam@ufs.ac.za.
 

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