On the morning of 18 April 2008, climbing onto the bus looking around at dazed Form Fives with drowsy faces, I glanced at my watch. The bus was going to depart anytime soon. It was said to be a long weekend for all of us. Thinking to ourselves, we thought – how much different will this study skills camp be to our last camp during PMR? After all, the SPM study skills camp was held in the Cheras campus and there was no requirement to sleep over compared to the previous PMR study skills we all had attended.

Tables and chairs had been set up in the North Hall for us facing the stage. As we placed our bags and chairs in our places, some of us looked through our programme for the day to know what was to come next. I visualised in my head how the speaker would appear to be – would he or she be able to grab the attention of the wandering minds of us students? Would he or she be absolutely boring until we might just conk out at our desks? Will there be top quality tips given to us that will be useful? As the days turned out to be, these questions were answered.

Throughout the weekend we had speakers for different subjects such as Additional Mathematics, Chemistry, Bahasa Melayu, English Science & Technology (EST), Sejarah, Pendidikan Islam for the Muslim students and Pendidikan Moral for the moral students. Useful tips were given as to how to answer questions using key words as well as what examiners seek for in our papers. Sentences such as in our Bahasa Melayu paper which should not be so ‘meleret’ or use fanciful words that we were not sure of (we all guiltily laughed at this common error when the speaker mentioned it) and so on so forth.

There were some speakers who I enjoyed listening to. They managed to get their points across in a straightforward and interesting manner. Slideshows were used, notes were jotted down; some students just preferred to stare at the screen with arms crossed believing that all this information will remain in their heads. Well, for those who did that, I hope very much for you that you were able to retain all that important points. This is because the whole weekend was all about the subjects, how to learn the subjects, how to study the subjects and most importantly, how to score.

During the sessions, worksheets were handed out to cross-refer and as a reference to what the speakers were talking about. On the first morning, Cik Zakiah started the camp of with some read and recall tests also known as Intensive Revision Programme (IRP) which I found very effective. Papers with pieces of information were given to be memorised within an allocated amount of time. Each time the memorising period was up, a bell which you might usually find in a hotel lobby, was rung. We then wrote on paper what we remembered. This was to strengthen our memories and was encouraged to use this method.

Breaks were given of course. Minds were rested, but not for long. Every few hours there was another speaker to listen to. The days passed quickly more than I expected. I really felt that I had gained something throughout those few days. Games at the end of each day took place to liven things up and relieve us of our stress. By the time the SPM study skills camp was over, we were exhausted. An overdose of information for the long weekend made me feel like hibernating, perhaps momentarily. For those who paid attention, the brains really worked hard that weekend and hopefully what was obtained that weekend would be used throughout the rest of our Form Five year. Good luck to us!