Welcome to the fourth edition
of the MacBrain Newsletter.
I have a slightly obsessive ritual
which I follow the morning of every
exam. It started in year 11, when I
thought it was appropriate to adopt a
‘serious’ approach to my exam
preparations. I set my alarm (which wakes
not just me but EVERY one,) to the exact same
6:30am start. I brush my teeth for a solid 5
minutes, and I never eat breakfast
(warning- nutritionists around the world are
cringing right now, because nutritionists
around the world totally read MacBrain on a
weekly basis, so don’t skip breakfast).
It gets worse. I am incapable of holding a
legitimate conversation with anyone before I
sit an exam (this paired with afternoon exams
is problematic) and I deny myself of ALL music
until after I have sat my exam. Anyone who
has ever driven to university with me before an
exam can attest to the uncomfortable silence
that sits between us in the car.
To share my next confession I need you to
promise me that you will not think any less
of me. Please? You’re agreeing but you don’t
mean it. I’ll ignore that manipulation and write
on… So. Once I am sitting in the exam room,
I become ‘that’ person who sits up perfectly
straight, poker face on. Not looking anywhere
but directly in front. Hi, my name is Stacey
and I am ‘that’ person. I take 2 lead pencils, 2
blue pens, 1 black pen, 1 highlighter, an eraser,
and a sharpener into every single exam. I line
them neatly alongside my student ID card and I
straighten up all the papers on my table. Cool,
calm and collected. I’ve got everything under
control.
Odd, really, given the moment I am
allowed to write, it’s game over. My
pens start break dancing on my desk
while my papers go flying as I sit
there questioning if I am
actually spelling my name correctly.
“Is it Stacy or Stacey?”
This edition of MacBrain won’t help
you spell your name, but it will
answer your other exam-related
questions! Mid-semester exams are
happening now and your final exams
will be here before you know it.
Read on to start your exam
preparation.
This is the most enjoyable reading
you will do that won’t be
regarded as procrastination!
Kindest Regards,
Stacey
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EXCLUSIVE - Chillin’ with the Executive Dean of
Human Sciences, Professor Janet Greeley
1. Can you tell us about your first year experience as a student?
I still remember my first year at university quite well. Mum
thought it would be nice if I stayed at a boarding house, where I’d
be looked after. For my first day of classes, I had gotten dressed up in all
these smart clothes Mum had bought me, only to realise everyone else
was dressed down in jeans. I felt like a nerd and on top of that, I was so
nervous I messed up my timetable because I was too shy to ask for
alternative classes. This was before we had the option to I-lecture our
units, so I had classes at the weirdest times and I had to attend them!
But I actually liked attending lectures.
2. The Faculty of Human Sciences was recently formed in 2009. Why do
you believe it is imperative for Human Science students to support each
other and start networking from their first year of university?
It is important to enjoy your university experience as much as you can.
Many of the people you meet at university will be friends for life.
University is large and daunting when you first start out and networking
helps you learn from others and gain new experiences more quickly.
Human science students want to help others- just look at the nature of
the degrees- education, psychology and linguistics. We’re curious people
and networking is a great way to learn about others and ourselves.
3. Having come from a university with an established mentor program,
what do you think is important for M@M?
Different mentoring programs work in different ways. My mentor was a
lecturer. She helped me find new accommodation when the boarding
house my mother suggested didn’t work out. But many of the things
I learned about how the university worked I learned from my friends!
It’s important that M@M can be there to send first year students to the
right places or people to answer their questions and help them out.
4. How do you think staff should interact with the Mentor program,
given that we also have academic orientation and faculty
mentoring?
Staff should be supportive of the Mentor program by helping
mentors out with ideas and advice. Likewise mentors should be
assisting staff, working together on different projects toward
shared goals and outcomes.
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5. With respect to the ‘exam’ focus of the final edition of MacBrain,
can you please share with us your most infamous exam memory
and how you overcame that to achieve your BSc (Hons), an MA
and a PhD in Psychology?
Yes I can! It was a computer science exam on flow charts.
Several lecturers were teaching the same unit and the flow charts
used in the exam had different symbols to the one my lecturer had
taught my class. I panicked and literally hyperventilated. My lecturer
quickly calmed me down and advised me to read through the exam until
I found a question I could answer. This helped me breathe easier and
sure enough I was okay in the end!
What happens if you miss an exam, Francesca?
ARMAGEDDON! A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! ALIEN INVASION! FAILURE AT LIFE!
Those were the words running through my head the first time I even considered
the notion of what would happen if I missed an exam as a first year.
Don’t worry; the only scary thing that happens if you miss an exam is all the
paperwork. So unless you have Papyrophobia (fear of paper) don’t panic
if you have to miss an exam. The exam timetable is generally released in
stages in week 6 and week 9/10 so you have ample time to plan any trips
or events around your exam dates – meaning the only legitimate excuses
the university will accept for missing an exam are illness, compassionate
causes or a genuine misadventure on the day (let’s face it, with our public
transport system, ‘misadventure’ could be a very real possibility…) If any
of these happen to you just let your course convener know, fill out some
forms from your faculty office and you will be able to sit the exam later in
the catch up exam time period (a few weeks after the actual exam period).
But let the university know ASAP!
So if the train decides to break down, the bus driver decides to get lost or
your immune system decides to fail: look on the bright side, you get more
time to study! (Yay!) Fun Fact! For those that believe missing/failing an exam
is the end of the world: Bill Gates - “I failed in some subjects in exam, but
my friend passed in all. Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the
owner of Microsoft.”).
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Shayaan, when are there exams?
As much as we may despise them, exams are a great way for
lecturers and tutors to test how much you have learnt and
retained over the semester. Depending on your
faculty, the nature and number of your exams will vary.
To ensure that you are aware of when and where you have
your exams, construct a table for yourself with your unit name under
one heading, the weighting of the exam under the next heading and so on.
You can do this after the university releases the official dates and times for
all exams (the examination period for this semester is between the 6th
and 24th of June). Pin this list up where you will be able to see it everyday.
Keep in mind that some units will also hold mid-semester exams (hence,
why you need to revise your notes constantly after every lecture as Nathan
breaks to you in his exam preparation tips!). Some of your elective units
may even provide the option of having a take-home exam. The night before your
actual exam, gather together all your materials (student ID card, water bottle,
pencil case, etc.) and double-check to make sure you’ve got the room number
right. On the day, take a deep breath, walk into the room and your brain will do
the rest. Good luck! :)
When do you start preparing for exams Nathan, and how?
For the 95% of people who believe that they have mastered the fine art of
cramming before an exam, I have two words for you. YOU’RE WRONG!
Sorry if I’m being a bit ‘in your face,’ but it’s true. Cramming doesn’t work,
period.
“When should I start preparing for my exams?” is the question that
plagues the minds of all first year students (and a lot of second, and
third-year students too). As you all have probably realized, subjects at
university can have amazing amounts of content compressed into them –
so why not start preparing now?
Consistency is the word that I cannot stress enough! I know I sound just
like a lecturer or tutor right now but please trust me on this! Making regular
notes, summarizing your lecture topics and keeping as up to date as you
can, are the best exam preparation strategies by far. However, some
subjects can be a little tricky in knowing what is actually assessable. If this is
the case, just get out that unit-outline and have a read. Everything you need
to know will be in there, I promise!
Nathan’s Law: Early study x Consistency = Decrease in pre-exam stress and
Increase in exam success! All the best =]
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Alex, how do I get special provision for an exam?
Special Provisions; probably something that many
students won’t need to think about, but for others,
they are critical in allowing them to perform to their
potential in exams. For those who don’t know,
special provisions are adjustments and accommodations
made in exams to assist individuals who may be disadvantaged.
They can range from extra time, specially formatted papers (e.g. large
text, different colour paper), rest breaks, adjustable desks, use of a
computer and the list goes on!
The Disability Support Unit (DSU) provides students who have disabilities,
difficulties and conditions with the support they need in order to ensure that
they have the same opportunity for success as other students (There is no cost
involved for the students as it is a free service provided by the university). In order
to receive this support (which includes special provisions), students need to
register with the DSU and provide documentation (Reports/certificates from
doctors, OT’s, other specialists) in order to prove that they genuinely require the
support!
It is important, however, if you need special provisions that you register by Week
7. THAT’S NEXT WEEK! This is because DSU need a bit of time to organise the
provisions. So if you need special provisions, GO RING NOW! If now is 11pm at
night, wait till tomorrow but talk to DSU as soon as possible! That way, when it
comes to exam time, you won’t need to worry about your special provisions as
they’ll already be sorted out!
DSU: Level 2 Lincoln Building
Phone: 02 9850 6494
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Michael, how do you appeal for a change of grade?
So you’ve put a heck of a lot of effort into your Assignment procrastinating is a LOT OF EFFORT - only to receive a grade that
you feel is incongruent with your procrastination, I mean
genuine study. For me, I’d attack the marker straight
away! Well, not really, I’d rather avoid criminal charges.
Instead, the recommended path you take is go over your work with
the marking sheet at hand and see where you went wrong, even compare
it to a sample HD essay/report if one is available. If you’re still lost - like
me - talk to your tutor and they’ll discuss and explain their reasons why
they awarded you the mark unreflective of your amazing procrastination
prowess. If you’re still not happy, you can always ask for an appeal, head
on over to your department HQ and talk to the Administration staff and
they’ll happily guide you in the process of an appeal.
In regards to Final Grades, KEEP EVERY SINGLE ASSIGNMENT! Seriously, you
never know what can go wrong! When I received my Final Grade for a unit last
semester I was DEVASTATED! It was a straight out FAIL GRADE, it didn’t even
show a numerical grade, it was just FAIL - *blank*. I’m positive you can imagine
me panic! Facebook statuses going “FML, goodbye Honours” and the like. Then,
as if touched by an angel, our dear Editor calmed me down and told me to talk to
the Unit Convener and an Academic Advisor - and so I did! Thankfully it got sorted,
the process was even faster when I had proof that my calculated grade was
definitely >50% i.e. I had my Assignments with cover sheets et al. After a few days,
my grade was rectified and I got my correct mark.
For those that are going through personal hardships and the like, the
Administrative Offices of your respective departments take this into
consideration. All you have to do is drop by, and ask for Special Consideration in
regards to your Final Grade. Reasons can include psychological, bereavement,
physical injury (hospital admissions interfering with study) and many things you
can think of that have an adverse affect on your academic life. All you need to
provide is substantial evidence of what you are claiming for and it will be
processed and evaluated by the necessary officials and either approved or
disapproved - so make sure you have adequate documentation before you
make a Special Consideration claim.
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The Fine Art of Exam Etiquette
Exams are extremely nerve-wracking, hair-raising, heart-stopping
and sweat-inducing periods of life that all university students
must go through. If you were to venture outside an exam room,
the tell-tale signs of stress and fatigue are imbedded within the
random sheets of notes clustered in corridor corners and the
occasional can of V. However, it’s once you get inside the room that you
notice the still air, the lack of noise, the faintest stench of anxiety ... all tied up
together by the universal code of exam etiquette.
To ensure that you observe the proper decorum during your next exam, I suggest
you scrutinise the following list: (lest you break aforementioned universal code)
1. Do NOT bring your phone with you – there is always the chance that
some idiot will call or text you. Not only will it have you suspended from
that exam ... BUT IT WILL HAVE YOU SUSPENDED FROM THAT EXAM.
2. Avoid chewing gum and other forms of infuriating noise – this includes
tapping your pen, humming, moaning, gnashing your teeth, blowing your
nose and breathing too loudly.
3. Do not wear agonisingly bright or over-the-top clothes that day – this
include anything fluorescent, animal prints, glittery clothes, faux fur, real
fur, glittery fur, etc.
4. Do not bring all of Officeworks with you – the exam asked for a pen, a
pencil and an eraser. It did not ask for your coloured felt-tip pens, your
triangular-shaped glue stick and your notepad that’s shaped like Hannah
Montana.
5. This might be reminiscent of primary school, but don’t be tempted to
cheat. If you find that your neck is involuntarily twitching in the direction
of your neighbour’s answers, then try to look towards the ceiling instead
and seek divine guidance.
6. Try to keep track of time, but avoid looking up constantly to see the
clock – it will make you feel nervous, it’ll make your neck ache and you
may even make undesirable eye contact with the scary exam supervisor.
7. Don’t be tempted to “decorate” your question sheet with squiggly lines
and smiley faces. That said; don’t be tempted to “decorate” your arm.
You will be viewed as highly suspicious.
8. Avoid dehydration by bringing your water bottle with you. Avoid
over-hydration and a full bladder by leaving your 2-litre Mount
Franklin at home.
9. Exam-time is not a place to pick up. You can however admire the
hair of the person in front of you.
10. The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and
everything is 42. It is not the answer to question 5b.
All the best and good luck!
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Mikool Facts
It saddens all us MacBrain people that we’ve reached our final
edition. In light of this melancholic truth, we, the MacBrainers
shall bid you adieu with Mikool Facts:
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The head of the RTA, Les Wielinga is a Behaviourist: change
the environment to change behaviour. So, if there was a tree was
disrupting traffic flow, or that cars were unexplainably magnetised to it,
Les Wielinga would get rid of the tree. If your study environment is not
conducive to studying, then remove those distractions!
The most powerful woman in television/ the world attended Tennessee
State University on a full scholarship by winning an oratory contest.
Oprah Winfrey holds a degree in Speech and Performing Arts.
Hugh Hefner received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the
University of Illinois, explains a lot.
Natalie Portman also received a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from
Harvard University: YOU GO GIRLFRIEND!
Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek’s Spock, has a Masters in Education!
Rachel Griffiths, an Australian Actress in Brothers & Sisters has a
Bachelor Degree in Education from Victoria College in Melbourne.
Reminders
Wednesday 6th April 1-2pm E4B102: this time slot for the next 4 weeks
(not including the mid semester break) is where you should be to Improve
your study skills and get the most out of the new online learning system,
Skills 4 Study Campus (S4SC) with the Mentors@Macquarie.
These workshops will last one hour and our Mentors will guide you through
S4SC and provide additional resources, should you need them.
Invitation
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Monday 4th April 2-4pm @ Pizza Bar: Mentors want to catch up with
their Human Science first years! So bring your friends, your enemies, your
wives. Go on, bring your donkey* and eat some pizza with us. You know
you want to! *Donkeys optional. Maybe.
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...this could be the start of a beautiful friendship.
This is the last edition of MacBrain, however, you can continue
to follow the exploits of the MacBrainers on the upcoming
blog that will be featured on the Mentors@Macquarie
website: www.mq.edu.au/transition/
The blog will go live in Week 8, just in time for the second half of the semester
(but we’ll email you just in case you forget!).
If you haven’t already, make sure to like our Facebook page, as we’ll be using it
to advertise any future events or information:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/MentorsMacquarie/321110292624
And lastly, if you have any other questions, issues, praise, or even marriage
proposals, you can email any of the team at: [email protected]
Special Thanks:
Thanks to all those who have contributed to making MacBrain the
success it has been. Special mention must go to the most
creatively charged and dedicated writers I have ever worked with.
Alex, Francesca, Michael, Nathan, and Shayaan: you are all
extremely talented, and I couldn’t have done this without your
contributions and enthusiasm.
To our special guests, Executive Dean, Professor Janet, Margaret
Wright from the Library Team, and our special guest
photographer, Misha, each of your respective contributions have
taken MacBrain to a new level each week.
Finally, to Kelly Sharpless, the Transition Development Officer
and to that creepy guy in the corner who took photos of us
dressed as schoolgirls...(Mike Virata), you have put up with my
annoyances on a weekly basis for a month. I owe you therapy
(seriously!).
Speak to you all soon, Stacey xx
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