To Cram or NOT TO CRAM

Smell the 6:30 morning air, taste the early breakfast meals, feel the weight of the world with the tons of books, and hear the speakers singing the National Anthem - school is in the air. And believe me when I say that time fly so fast. The next thing you know, you have piles of home works, projects, and exams.
Let me get to the point, with a lot of things to do and a little time to do it and most of the time students procrastinate resulting to the next best thing - cramming. If you cram in school, you cram in just about everything else.
During my university years, I rarely cram. I think I procrastinated more than cramming, but again it is the cause of my cramming. But I will say that I am proud to live through college without cramming too much. The only time I crammed was during a sleepless night before my thesis presentation.
Some of us have made the art out of cramming, and most of the time it works. But with most short-term activities, it only stays short. Maybe enough for the next day's test but won't carry through the rest of the semester exams. Studying is a lifestyle, and you will learn things for the rest of your life. So why not start early?
Listening and jotting down notes are quite the basic in order to retain the lessons being taught. Highlight the important facts and keywords can help associate with the key points. This can be practical over a lifetime, especially at work.
In reviewing your lessons, use your senses. Write down notes, read it aloud, the more senses you involve, the better you will remember them. Using mnemonics can help as well. If acronyms or singing helped us memorize faster, why not apply it in studying?
Time is of the essence. Really, it applies even when you work. Reviewing lessons can be done whenever you have spare time but you need to set up a regular study time and place. Less distraction mean more lessons learned in the same amount of time. All we need is discipline. But hard work has its rewards. Taking time off and relaxing for a break can reinforce learning.
You don't have to cram; you have a choice of getting it started early on, and avoid stressing yourself out hastily. Studying until your body drops is not always the best solution. My two (more) cents - practice your discipline by working well with pressure and managing your time.
So before everything else, smell the scent of your room, taste the sweetness of your warm milk, feel the softness of your pillow, and hear the sound of the silent night - because time flies so fast and the next thing you know, school is indeed in the air.