the calm before the storm

And here I am, sitting in front of my laptop, feeling pleased and satifised with myself for (more or less) completing macroeconomics. There is still its counterpart, microeconomics, left to cover I guess, but for now, I'm taking a break from the incessant studying.

Strangely, I haven't particularly felt stressed during this period of mugging, though perhaps that might be due to all the inane things we do while studying in school that helped mitigate the stress. I wonder if such a feeling embodies the saying, 'the calm before the storm', for it is undeniable that the following two weeks will see an amalgation of chaos, stress, studying-through-the-nights, and basically, an unhealthy interaction of negative forces stemmed from incomplete preparations.

It is really important, I realise, to organize your own notes in a way conducive to yourself for fast-absorption and quick rejuvenation of information about the topic before examinations. There are good notes and there are bad notes, but really, the best notes are the ones you do for yourself, because everyone's mind works in a unique manner, and in the process of creating the notes, your mind inevitably organizes and compartmentalizes the information in distinct packages that can be conveniently tapped into during examinations.

Apart from the notes, I find it important, if not crucial, to discuss the subject with your friends, especially for the humanities subjects. Essentially, Maths and Sciences are rigid in the way that there will be definite answers to most question, and the way towards achieving the answer is summed up in a few commonly used methods. Any question that requires lengthy discussions are usually due to the lack of information present in the teaching curricula, leaving students grasping for any linkages that can be found from the available knowledge that they have of the subject.

On the other hand, the Humanities are markedly different. Even with a 'correct' stand taken towards a question, there is a myriad of ways that we can go about achieving a balanced essay, including different insights and even using different examples to illustrate our points. It really depends on what we wish to emphasize. As such, it is important to find out what others think about the various topics to complement your own ideas such that the best responses can be produced.

In any way, the journey thus far along this stretch of still waters has been relative undisturbed and peaceful. But far away in the approaching horizon, you watch as the dark clouds gather. And they don't seem friendly.