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Mauri ora whanau,
The time for heads-down bums-up has jumped up and slapped us in the face. Where did the semester go?! Second- and third-years will be experts by now in the exam department. You kinda have study habits and exam prep down to a T, and if you don’t? No comment.

But for those first years still trying to keep their head above the fire water, here are some tips Heramaahina style. They’re pretty average, nothing amazing – just common sense really.
Right. Number 1: What Not To Do.
All-nighters before an exam is a big NO! Your brain pretty much turns to mush and you’d have a better chance of passing if you poured your cup of tea on the answer sheet. Or, you know how a picture speaks a thousand words? Draw a couple and BOOM, essay done. Or do designs in the multi-choice questions, making cool spirals because you can’t figure out the answer. I think option C is your best bet. But probably the most common stuff-up include you forgetting something important, like a calculator, and making whoever dropped you off run around the Commerce Building for half an hour trying to find your exam room, only to find they have no way of communicating with you because you turned your phone off! Yeah, you know who you are, Hoha.
Number 2: Have a Mean-As Kai.
You should always have a feed about an hour or two before your exam. That way, you won’t get hungry and spend the second half of your exam trying to silence that loud and embarrassing moan coming from your puku. Or you could just take in a muesli bar already unwrapped and put in glad wrap so it’s not so loud, and a water bottle filled with V or water, whatever floats your boat. 
Number 3: Studying.
Get a study buddy who you know you won’t talk to every five minutes. If you need to, spend a couple of days sorting out what you are going to study for the exam. Write it all down then learn, learn, learn. Or if you are really flash, recap, recap, recap.
Number 4: The Most Important of All.
People get a bit uptight about this one, but I think it’s really important. If this one is out of whack, then your exam is pretty much toilet paper material. The last thing you need is feeling uncomfortable, wriggling around during those three hours of brain smashing. Comfortable underwear = highly necessary.
Peace out and happy studying.