A Hand Counting Exam Topics and One Page

Scenes

• When the first snow falls, I count the exam topics again — On the afternoon of the first snow, I’m about to open my book, but I’m counting the exam topics again.
• Even the wish to watch for a moment gets put off — Before the wish to watch the snow, there’s the thought that taking a break now will leave me behind.
• I’ve been rereading only the exam outline since five — At the library window, I trace the units on the exam outline with my finger, but keep returning to the same line.
• Things that look like preparation slow down studying — When exam anxiety rises, I want to feel certain, so I count the topics again. But studying the problems I don’t know how to solve gets slower and slower.
• Cover the outline and try just one problem — Today, cover the exam outline, choose just one problem from the page you have open, and work on it for five minutes. The anxiety may remain, but you’ll start to see what you do know.
• Watching the first snow didn’t ruin your studying — Even on days when you reach for the exam outline again, you can find your way back to the first page, even if the rhythm comes back late.