Summary
Highlights
Sheena emphasizes the importance of making a realistic study schedule, considering the total time until the exam (macro) and daily time allocation (micro). She advises adjusting the schedule based on personal circumstances, such as working while studying, and making sure to include time for family and rest.
Sheena suggests being wise with study time by focusing on highly relevant materials, such as review center summaries, rather than trying to read everything. She shares her personal experience of identifying weaker areas (e.g., site supervision for architects) and concentrating on those. Reading full books from cover to cover, like the National Building Code, is not advisable if time is limited, as it can lead to burnout and incomplete review of other subjects.
To balance study and rest, Sheena took a study leave and committed to studying from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, treating it like a job. Her rest activities included tutoring high school students, visiting museums and architectural monuments, and engaging in sports like jogging with friends. These activities helped refresh her mind and sometimes correlated with her architectural studies.
Sheena starts her day with prayer, offering her studies to God, believing it makes her day more fruitful. After daily routines, she dedicates to studying, using her motivation to be a good architect. She incorporates short prayer breaks and coffee breaks with a study buddy. She stops studying strictly at 5 pm to ensure evening rest, which includes reading an hour for work-related topics and ending the day with prayer of thanks.
Sheena acknowledges that falling behind schedule is normal and advises starting fresh the next day, analyzing what wasn't completed. For students facing unique challenges like the pandemic, she encourages mutual support among classmates and friends. She stresses not to worry too much and to ask for help from peers or professors when needed, reminding everyone that the pandemic, while challenging, will eventually end and lead to personal growth.