In theory, tests are merely what their name implies: tests of what you've learned in the class. In theory you shouldn't have to prepare for a test in a clas

In theory, tests are merely what their name implies: tests of what you've learned in the class. In theory you shouldn't have to prepare for a test in a class any more than you have to prepare for a blood test. In theory you learn from taking the class, from going to the lectures and doing the reading and/or assignments, and the test that comes afterward merely measures how well you learned. That was always how I approached tests in college. While everyone around me was stressing out, not once did I actively study for finals. Finals week is for relaxing, sleeping, watching movies, reading books, and having parties in between tests. Because, y'know, learning the stuff on the test was what the whole frickin' semester was for, and if you weren't paying attention up to now, what makes you think you can learn it all over a weekend? I was constantly amazed at how many of my peers, who were paying good money to learn stuff at school, were utterly shocked by that philosophy. I really wish more students understood it.