Interview Finalized

Speakers:

E - Myself
T - Alumni
C - Current College Student

Red: Discussing negative points of testing and papers.
Blue: Positive aspects in testing and writing.
Green: Factors that might influence (positive) results and opinions from students.
Orange: Advice and  strategies to improve results.


E: What do you prefer between writing papers and taking exams?

T: Taking exams because you're just answering questions. Exams already have a developed thought...just answering questions versus coming up with a whole thought and developing an answer.

C: Uh...I prefer to write. Testing has a negative stigma. Because people are scared of taking tests. Smart people get bad grades because they don't test well. You feel pressured because of time.

E: So back in high school...how effective do you think SAT's were? Like do you think they were legit or just a label?

C: I don't know I feel that SAT's at the time were......were stupid because it's like I was at a level where I was pretty good at algebra. But on the test was some completely other stuff that I never even seen before. It's like I didn't have enough time to like... really study in the book cuz I was studying for other classes.

T: My book was this thick. (Makes a gesture with hands)

C: And....Yeah (Reacting to T's response). Like it was just daunting. I remember the 1st time I took the SAT's I got a 1380. But the 2nd time I took the SAT's...I didn't answer more questions than the 1st time and I got higher. So......somethings a little off....with that to me personally.

T: Yeah...I actually...same thing. Umm....the SAT I think it's one of those faulty tests.

E: Faulty test?

T: Cuz you know how umm....when you take tests to say...measure a person's intellect.

C: Yeah

T: But it's not really true just because...just because on certain sections you might not be.... as well developed in this area, you might be developed in another area. And that might display your character of...genius.

C: Yup.

E: True. I don't know...I feel like I did better on the placement test than the SAT. Like...cuz it's crazy like how I hate math and my math score was my highest on the SAT's. So I came here to take the placement test, my writing score was higher than my math.

T: You know what's funny?...I felt the same way with the placement.

E: I was like I don't know...these tests are weird.

//

E: Ok...so next one. So....do you thing eating plays a role before taking an exam?

T: Yes! Oh my gosh...yes! Because nothings worse than taking a test and um...all of a sudden you start hearing your stomach growling, the person next to you hearing growling...maybe the people a few rows back hear your stomach growling. (Laughing)

C: I think food in general helps with anything. Cuz like...our bodies need fuel right? Just like a car needs gas to move. We need food to get going so like...that works your brain as well because your brain is an organ. So...that food will go to your brain and I guess get it moving before taking a test.

<Sleep is an important factor that helps improve your results>

E: Alrighty. So what about sleep? (Laughs)

T: Sleep...Is that a made up word? What is sleep? (Laughs)

C: Get at least.....7 hours of sleep.

T: You're supposed to have 8 hours total and up.

C: Exactly! 6 is not doing so well.

T: 6 if you're a professional! (Laughing)

E: Yo my average is like 6.

C: 7 is alright. 8 is of course ideal. You can work with 7.

T: 6 if you're a professional. You can work with 6.

E: I ain't no professional man.

T: For some...it's doable but not recommended.....5!

E: 5!? (Laughing)

T: Anything less than that your mind is destroyed.

E: I'm guilty.

T:  Anything less than that, your focus is not there. When you're taking a test or anything...at that point it's just you're thinking about how much you want to be in bed, how much you miss your bed, why did you get up and get dressed?

E: So what do you feel about cramming then? Do you think it's effective before a test?

T: You know what.....sometimes it is depending on the type of test.

C: Yup and the type of person too because some people are good under pressure.

T: Yup.

C: Trial and error. If you think you're good at it...then I guess you can do that. People study differently.

E: Would you rather studying the day before for a couple of hours or split it during the week?

T: I would probably split it during the week before the week. Then the day before the test I'll briefly go over just to reassure myself.

C: Cuz each day instead of trying to retain information from like chapters 1-5 in one day. You'll do chapter 1 1 day and next day you'll have that memory for chapter 1 to chapter 2. Just keep stacking each day. When you're trying to learn something new like if you go to sleep that night...do it the next day and you'll get better.

T: It's more reassuring...it's kinda like classical conditioning if you will. But for tests.

<Space out different parts instead of cramming. Take it one step at a time>

E: Psychology term. So...what are your opinions on writing papers? Research papers.

T: Some of them are fun. It depends on what the research is on...especially if it's a deep topic. Sometimes you don't have to do so much research cuz like you have books at your disposal. Others you may have to get more than just books...like go online...cite. I think the hardest part is citations. Sometimes when you look at the end of the article and the author is not there. And then multiple people that work on the same information given but the date may not be as accurate.

C: I just don't understand why they have to be so long.

E: (Laughs)

C: Nah I'm serious. It should be as long as it should be.

T: Cuz all it takes is 2 pages to get concrete information....the rest you just.....

C: Yeah cuz I feel like people tend to repeat themselves. And it's not like you mean to repeat yourself. That's how our brain works. I mean like we say the same thing but we state it differently. So like...it doesn't need to be long like you have to do 15 pages. Like why? You can get the information...if you get what I'm saying..and let's say it's 10 pages or 8 pages.....then I don't see the problem with that. I think that people are so busy meeting the page requirement instead of doing as best as you can.

<People lose points because they lose focus on the material and focus more on meeting the page requirements>

T: There's always been a trick for me while doing that. Cuz like I would trick myself into typing single-spaced. Then hit double-space then I'm there before I know it.

E: Do you pull all-nighters when writing papers?

T: We talking about high school or college?

E: Right now.

T: You know what's funny? It depends cuz sometimes when writing I'll try to write little bit by little bit and then put it all together the night before. And then sometimes....plus I'll have an all-nighter cuz it's like some refreshed information I have to correct and edit when writing papers. Especially if you gotta go through these things that we call "drafts".

E: (Laughs) Drafts.

T: Yup.

E: I can't stand papers.

C: Word.

E: Everyone's favorite topic...are you a procrastinator?

T: You know what...not often.

E: Really?

T: Not often...cuz I try to get my stuff done early and get it out the way...that way it's no longer a headache. If it's something I can do quick then I might procrastinate. Only cuz I know I have the capability of doing it and getting it done.

E: So when you're studying or preparing or whatever you're doing whether writing a paper or studying for a test do you listen to music.

T: Yes.

C: Yup.

E: Do you feel that it's soothing?

T: It's like....just to calm you down so you don't have to concentrate so hard. It's like...having your own getaway but in your head through music.

C: Exactly! Pretty much the same thing. You don't want to sit in silence. You want to lighten the mood.

<Explaining the significance of music. Soothes the mind and lightens the tension when studying and writing>

T: Otherwise you'll be sitting in the library.

E: Nah I'll be sitting there tapping my foot. I get anxious in silence.

//

E: What do you find distracting if not music?

C: Loud noise....Talking...

T: Depends on how passionate about what I'm writing. If it's a deep topic and my mind is stimulated to continue writing, then it's kinda hard to distract me. Other than that it's...noise or a person every 5 seconds calling you for something. Especially writing a paper and you're doing it at home vs. on campus or at the dorms. You don't have that person always nagging you be like "Oh I need you to do this", "I need you to come with me over here to this place", "Can you help fix this?"

E: That sounds very stressful.

T: Yeah. And umm...Oh yeah when you have like other things you have to care of like paying bills and stuff to pay then think of a test. That's like 2 stress factors battling each other out.

E: So you think stress can also affect your results?

T: Yeah! Because then after a while. Cuz when you start the day focusing on writing a paper you already have high motivation. But then as all these distractions start kicking in...then your motivation decreases over time. And then it's like so bad to the point you don't want to do stuff anymore.....then it's like your motivation is gone. The will to think of ingenious things to put in writing diminishes.

C: Can't really focus well with stress.

E: What are some ways to conquer stress?

T: Let's see....find another area and listen to music.

C: Study as much as possible so you don't have to stress about not knowing the material.

T: Also take breaks. Be mindful if you're stressed out about something...it's best to definitely step away from it for a little bit. Cuz when you try to overdue something...then it goes back to that motivation where it's not that much progress. Your mind is in a whirlwind.

E: Last question. So what advice would you give to a person struggling with papers or exams? More like a newbie like what...

T: Okay..you can pay me 100 dollars to do it.

(Both laugh)

T: Hey I had people offer me like 200 dollars to do their papers.

E: Oh geez.

T: The sad part is I was doing my own papers. Um...pay someone really well to do your papers. That's one advice....don't skip that. Um..let's see......have things around you that you like to look at. Just in case you know...when you're writing and it's been too long...for looking at that paper you want to take your eyes off something....give your eyes a chance to like read just a little bit. Because staring at white blank paper all day long is as bad as looking at a computer screen.

E: True. Any advice?

C: Umm....like...they're not alone. Everyone has to do it. It's not gonna kill you if you whether you do bad. So don't focus on doing bad, focus on doing the best you can and you'll get better at them. The more you do it the more better you'll get so.....we're not asking them to....to go h.a.m.m and try to be the best.

T: Going hamm...the english way. (Laughs) Either going at your top notch level or going at your best or putting your all into it. Or for like for another term.

E: Oh geez! (Laughs)

T: Proving your excellence. Oh and umm....

E: Time management?

T: Oh my gosh! I can't stand that word. But yes time management. Umm..also don't psych yourself out. If you don't know the material.......don't stress out about it. And if you do know the material don't try to over-study because you're afraid you'll forget it because then you'll end up forgetting it because you over-studied. And then you psych yourself out because you start thinking about other answers be like "Wait a minute was this that exact question when I studied it?" No.

E: Alright anything else?

T: That's about it.

E: Thank you guys.

C: No problem.