Should I pause my programming projects to focus on final and entrance exams?
Asked by
MellowPine47
I'm in my final year of high school and have been putting a lot of time into computer science. I joined CS50x, built up skills in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and recently started learning data structures, algorithms, and deep learning.
My final exams are only a week away, followed by an entrance exam, and I don't feel prepared for either. I'm worried that I focused too much on computer science and neglected my regular school subjects. Did I make the wrong choice, and what should I do during this last week?
Answers
It sounds like programming may have become a more enjoyable way to avoid studying subjects you find less interesting. That doesn’t mean your CS work was wasted, but you do need to switch priorities now and handle the exams in front of you. Once they’re over, you can return to your projects without the same pressure.
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For now, pause the extra programming projects and make your exams the priority. Your programming skills aren’t going anywhere, and an additional week of coding probably won’t make a major difference compared with the years you’ll have to keep learning. Improving your grades, even by a few points, could open up better school and career options.
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Try not to punish yourself by constantly wondering whether you made the wrong choice. You’ve already gained useful skills, and they can benefit you later regardless of how these exams go. Do your best with the time left, but accept that one week can only improve your preparation so much. If the stress feels unmanageable rather than simply unpleasant, talk to a teacher, counselor, family member, or another trusted person for support.
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Treat the exams as the urgent task because they have fixed deadlines, while CS and deep learning can wait. Make a realistic study plan based on the subjects and topics most likely to matter, and focus on practicing rather than trying to learn everything from scratch. Don’t sacrifice sleep, though—being rested and calm will help more than cramming all night. Take short breaks and get some fresh air each day.
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