Get enough sleep!

Alhamdulillah, I sat for two papers today. 3 more to go! I decided to blog just to remind everyone who's sitting for an exam to get enough rest and eat well! I learnt that the hard way today!

I was feeling really nervous and tense yesterday, and studied till about 3 in the morning. I couldn't sleep well because my mind was still working hard and I woke up (or rather woken up) at 6 due to a feeling of sharp pain in my abdomen. So, I got up anyway and surprisingly, I didn't feel sleepy. I went through my notes again before getting ready to leave the house. I arrived at the exam hall a little over 1 hour early with 2 of my coursemates, Julie and Sabaena. So we talked about the lectures and stuff and a couple of my other coursemates came and joined us. Just as we were talking, out of a sudden, the room was spinning so fast around me! And before I knew it, I lost balance and collapsed onto Sabaena's laps (we were sitting on chairs). They became really concerned! My head felt so light and I felt dizzy just by a slight movement of my head. Sabaena, being a medical doctor, checked my pulse and told me to lie down to get blood flowing back to my brain. Julie offered me her water and dates - to provide my body with fluid and glucose. I drank lots of water these past few days and I had my breakfast this morning, so I was sure it wasn't because of my diet.

I fainted once before during my 2nd year undergrad, so I know what I should do to recover from it. But this time it was different, even after lying down and getting some fluid and glucose, my head still felt very light. I then told Sabaena that it could be due to me having only about 3 hour of semi-sleep, and she said it must definitely be that. She told me that I should sleep during the 3hr break we had between our 1st and 2nd paper. I laid down again and cover my eyes from the light. I was really scared! "What if I collapse again in the exam hall? What if I can't sit for the exam?" those thoughts ran through my mind as I was lying there outside the exam hall while my coursemates were discussing about the notes. One of my course tutors, who is known as the not-so-friendly-and-easily-pissed tutor, passed by and Sabaena explained to him about my condition - that I was feeling weak and dizzy due to stress and lack of sleep. He asked whether I had taken any glucose or energy drink to help me, and Sabaena told him I had water and dates. He sounded a bit concerned but he just walked away. I sat back up and tried to move my head in every direction, and the feeling of dizziness was still there but not as bad. About 15 minutes before the exam, many people started gathering outside the exam hall and we were asked to go in by the examiners. Just as I was picking up my stuff, someone nudged me in the back. I turned around to see my course tutor casually handing me a bottle of glucose drink he just bought. I took it and thanked him, and he just walked away again nonchalantly. I was really touched by it. Didn't know he could be such a sweet person! During the exam, as I was so focused trying to write everything down in the space of 1 hour, I sorta forgot about my dizziness. By the end of it, it was only a tad bit still there. Nasib baik inda paning during the exam! =/

We had our 3 hour break. Me, Julie and Sabaena went to the cafeteria to revise for the next paper. I went to rest on the sofa for half an hour, just closing my eyes and clearing my head. After that, I went to join the both of them at the table to revise. As Julie was focusing on a different topic, it was Sabaena whom I discussed (or more like trying to remember) with. I explained a journal paper to her, and she explained the T-C circuit topic that I completely ignored. And all praises to Allah, ngam the topics we discussed about came out as an essay question in the exam! Nasib baik ya explain T-C circuit atu arahku! Phewww... After the exam, I went to hug her! And Julie was like, "I actually remember what you guys were discussing about than what I prepared as my notes!" Yeah, throughout the day, I was feeling rather light-headed and weak, but thank God I managed to go through the exams just fine.

So, the moral of the story is..... GET ENOUGH SLEEP! I know you'd probably say, "i always sleep about 3-4 hours a day during exam period and never got dizzy!" You just never know! I nevveeerrr experienced dizziness before, even during my 3 years of undergrad exam periods. Just make sure to take care of yourselves, OK? Oh, and EAT! I only had a very light dinner last night, which probably explains the stomach pain I experienced. I went to Boots to buy medicine to remove the wind trapped in my tummy. Make sure to eat! eat! eat!


(slow wifi doesn't allow me to upload pictures..)