By Lim Wei Han, NUS

Lets face it. We hate exams but we know we need to go through all those papers before the awesome term break arrives.

We know there are more ways to deal with exams stress than the number of peeps queuing up to board the internal shuttle. When we patrol the study areas last night, we saw some students tearing their wrinkled lecture notes into pieces. Worse, some were tearing their hair out. Others sulked in a corner, plotting to kidnap the Dean's kids and exchange them for 5 points.

If you find yourself increasingly frustrated and on the verge of trying out any of the above, don't even think.

Read on and be inspired by 3 undergraduates who share their secrets on effective time management.

The Athlete

The Athlete cares not what sport he indulges in as long as he gets that rush of endorphins at the end and goes for a round trip to cloud nine. The catch is whatever exercise you get into has to be vigorous and we find out that nothing could be more intense than getting into fights, the legal way.

We speak to Warren Ong, 1st year medicine student in NUS, Judo captain of Team NUS and Chairperson of the Medical Society Dinner and Dance committee.

The insane life of a medical student

You learn about how the body works and how diseases affect homeostasis, and in so doing affect the various functions of the body. We even observe cadavers (dead bodies) every week to further our knowledge of anatomy. We also visit NUH every week to see patients and learn to appreciate various clinical conditions.

A typical day starts at 8.30am and usually ends at about 3-4pm. We only have 2 intervals between lessons - a short break of 30mins and a lunch break of an hour. We have to review the day's work after we return and prepare for lectures the following day. It gets worse during the CAs (Continuous Assessments).

In battle mode

Typically, I attend lessons from 8.30am till 3pm and rush back home to start my own revision. I spend most of the time studying because time is really tight and there are just so many things to understand. However, I will take short breaks in between to watch a short Japanese drama, swim or go to the gym.

The distraction from exams

The Judo team trains twice a week. I do my own endurance and gym trainings 2-3 times a week to improve stamina and strength. I also train my juniors at Raffles Junior College (RJC) .

The solution

Plan ahead. Make sure you draw up your plans for the coming weeks or months. Never leave things to the last moment because you panic when you realise you are running out of time. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

The Dancer

So...you think you can dance.

The Dancer knows every song on the DJ's list on Mambo Nights and the slickest moves to go with them. The Dancer's always plugged into her iPod and do little Moonwalks on the way to the lecture theater. As the tutor drones on endlessly, her mind wanders and subconsciously starts tapping her feet to Riverdance.

We speak to Samantha Ho, ballet dancer and 1st year accountancy student in NUS on how she pirouettes around her timetable.

The demanding life of an Accountancy student

I thought that accountancy would be a really easy course because hey, it's just numbers right? Well, I got the shock of my life! Not only can accountancy be really demanding and time-consuming, it is physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting as well!

It is physically demanding because we take a lot of time to complete projects. The projects are not theoretical research but based on real-life issues such as making ethical decisions. The regular tutorials for each module every week contribute significantly to the workload because of the sheer number of questions and type of questions we need to answer.

In battle mode

A typical semester comprises of 3 mid-term examinations, 2 tutorial presentation, 2 project presentations, 2 individual assignments/reports and 3 group projects/reports. Add that to 5 papers to set through for exams and we are almost strangled. Phew!

The distraction from exams

I perform with NUS Dance Synergy and Singapore Ballet Academy. My Tuesday and Friday nights are devoted to conducting technique classes for the dancers in Synergy and my Sunday evenings are spent at ballet rehearsals.

The solution

Do not procrastinate. The hardest part about projects and assignments is to start doing it. You don't have to finish a project immediately after you started it, but it is good to have read through the instructions and at least know what is expected or required for the project.

The Jane of All Trades

The all-rounder is multi-talented. Run, jump, swim, play the piano, run for president, save the world. There isn't enough time to do everything while still retaining sufficient energy to save your grades. But the all-rounder can do it, with time to spare.

We speak to Nicole Wong, 1st year Science student in NUS on achieving the optimal pace during exams.

The manageable life of a Science student

I major in life sciences, where we study all kinds of life organisms, such as animals, plants and humans. Workload has been manageable so far

It sucks when we have to cram everything into our heads at the last minute for exams! It's best when we're able to keep up with school work and other activities at the same time.

The distraction from exams

I'd usually do some sports, such as running. Or I'd be hanging out with friends. Sometimes, I'd play the piano. I'd eat all the junk I can find, or just stare into blank space and let my mind drift. I'm a new member in NUS Ultimate Frisbee team.

The solution

Try and be in step with the lectures weekly so that you won't have to sacrifice other activities for work, especially when exams are nearing!