What must be a week before the UPSC prelims preparation be like?

Prelims 2020

28 September 2020

With just a week left for the UPSC Prelims, it is completely normal to go through a lot of emotions like fear, nervousness, etc. But this last week of the exam is extremely important.

What not to do:

· Nothing new currently

The more and more new stuff you read now, the less you will be able to retrieve it during the exam. Don’t bombard yourself with new materials, current affairs, short notes, etc.

· Do not revise only your favorite subject

Spread your study out across all your subjects. You just need to do the work. Study only the specific topics on which you wish to put more focus.

· Don’t stay late at night

Prioritize sleep equally to studies. Don’t go into exploring new things or watching videos even if it is about UPSC until late at night.

· Don’t cram

This is not the college semester exam where the cramming of the lessons at the last minute will work. UPSC needs months of hard work. Do internalize what is needed and focus on that now.

· Don’t make elaborate notes now

Try to practice applying the knowledge which you developed till now. It hardly gives any push if you start preparing with elaborate notes at this point.

· Don’t get distracted

What to do:

· Stick to your timetable

Splitting the material into chucks you can achieve can be very beneficial. That way, you can keep track of what you’ve accomplished instead of looking at the big picture and getting overwhelmed.

· Do practice questions

It helps you in organizing the information you already have. This will make recalling easier in the exam. The last week must be mostly devoted to revision

· Do take a limited break

Take a 10 - 15 minutes break every hour so you don’t get mental fatigue. You probably want to maximize your study time, so you may feel guilty about taking breaks. However, breaks will help you stay more focused during your study sessions

· Do ask help when needed

Communicate and ask for help if there is a need. Maintaining mental health is important. Short discussions with mentors/ guides/ friends can help in this.

· Do eat well