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Swagga T
THE clock now seems to be ticking faster as the countdown continues towards this year’s final examinations. The Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations are just around the corner, with just less than two weeks before they commence.
To those who have been working hard, there is nothing more to say but to work extra hard so that they reap dividends from their study time, while to those who have been idling about, the realisation that the exams are just around the corner throws them into a confused flurry as they try to catch up with lost time.

For parents, it is also that time that gives them sleepless nights as they wonder if their children are studying, or are busy Whatsapping.

Statements like ‘Mombe haikorere pamarket’ (one cannot fatten their cattle at the market-place) are popularly used to refer to students who have been all along wasting their time chasing the pleasures of life instead of concentrating on books.

In the classroom, it is also this time that teachers work extra-hard as they try to produce the best results out of their students.

Cool Lifestyle caught up with students who spoke about the preparations they were making for the exams whose countdown has just started.

Memory Tembo who will be seating for her O Levels says she is going through a lot of anxiety as the exams approach.

She said she is “burning the midnight oil” as she tries to make the most out of the time that is left between now and the time that the exams start.

“Eight subjects is not a joke and I have been busy concentrating on my best ones which are arts subjects, but now with time ticking away, I fear that I haven’t had much time on Maths and Sciences. These are the subjects that I am now working hard on in improving,” she said.

Alec Munemo (18) of Zengeza says he is making it a must to attend all the extra lessons that are on offer during the weekends as he hopes that these will help him in catching up on some extra tips that will come in handy during the exams.

“I am not wasting my time doing nothing productive during the weekends. I am attending the weekend lessons that we are being offered,” he said.

At Harare City Library, students are not wasting their time as well, as they make sure that they are always there making use of the books that the library offers, in their studies.

“Now the libraries are fully packed. It is true that seating for Form Four is not a joke. I want to make sure that I make the most out of the time I have now by poring through the textbooks that I find here at this library and which my school can’t afford to offer us. It is my advice to fellow students to also maximise on their time and they will not be disappointed because no pain, no gain. One needs to study hard if they want to pass because there is no substitute for success but hard work and sheer determination,” said Shingirai Madzudzo (16) from Delight College.

Another survey conducted revealed that parents are becoming tougher and tougher on their kids.

“Games, TV and music will always be there but examinations are a matter of life, so students should be serious.

“There are a lot of ways of preparing for one’s exams and one of them is by making use of past exam papers which help students in sharpening their exam skills.

“It should also be emphasised here that drug and alcohol abuse are not good for you especially when you are about to write your exams as these have a negative toll on your mental uptake and performance. So students, stay away from drugs and alcohol as well as premarital sex,” said Mrs Chuchu from Alfred Beit.