IT'S FIFTH HOUR. Sophomores Jasper Maniates-Selvin and Zack Goldberg both have a free period. They are frantically trying to review information before their history test, which is less than three hours away. One is asking questions from his “Flow of History” textbook while the other spews out answers with manic energy.

“When did Luther post the 95 Theses?” asks Zack. “1517,” Jasper responds immediately.

What is so unusual about two people studying intensively as time runs down before an exam? Nothing. And that's the point. Cramming is a fact of life at Uni — and at other schools, for that matter.

Yet cramming for tests is a study habit that educators and parents avidly argue against. Teachers often say that cramming does not help students to learn. But is it always a bad thing?

WHAT THEY SAY

Chris Butler, a history teacher at Uni since 1979, has a firm belief about how students should study for tests. His ideal way of studying is reviewing material lightly well ahead of the test time, which will make reviewing material significantly easier than trying to review the night before.

English teacher Matt Mitchell also has some opinions on the matter.

“Studying should be reminding yourself of what you already know,” says Mitchell, “revisiting things and thinking about them further and [should be] more of a review than a cramming.”

To Mitchell, cramming shows lack of adequate preparation throughout the quarter leading into an exam.

Physics teacher Jim Carrubba also thinks there are benefits in studying proactively for his science classes, particularly in the early weeks of his class. In the first few days of a unit, students are usually introduced to several formulas.

“They need, right off the bat, to start learning those formulas,” says Carrubba, “because if it’s the night before a quiz and they still haven’t learned the formulas yet, they’re just going to spend their time hunting for formulas.”

Most teachers do not hold cramming in high esteem. They agree that cramming is the result of a powerful natural force: the tendency to procrastinate. However, Mitchell also thinks that cramming must be defined.

“I think some people might say they’re cramming, but that’s not what they’re doing, they mean furiously reviewing or furiously studying,” he says. “Whereas to me, true cramming is making up for missed studying during the quarter.”

Whatever cramming can be defined as, Butler believes that it can be hazardous to one’s health. He says that cramming material results in a higher level of stress because the student is worried about the test the very next day, whereas lightly reviewing material ahead of time lets the student be more relaxed when studying.

And the more relaxed students are when they are studying, the better understanding they will have of the information.

“The technique I’m talking about doesn’t put any more emphasis on history than studying the night before," Butler says. "I think it’s a more natural way of learning stuff so that it actually sinks in.”

A study of 374 college students by the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University in Canada supports Butler’s idea of “cramming” being unhealthy.

According to the study, people who procrastinate with their studying are more prone to cold and flu symptoms and have more digestive problems than those who don’t. They also lead an unhealthful lifestyle with irregular sleep, eating, and drinking.

WHAT WE DO

Even when presented with several good arguments against procrastination and cramming, though, many students still resort to the technique spurned by teachers.

“At home, there is something called TV,” says junior Nish Nookala. “I try to study in advance, but there are too many distractions. Things keep coming up, and I end up prioritizing those things before studying.”

Nookala’s attitude toward cramming reflects a general pattern among students at Uni. If you ask Uni students how long they study, they will most likely say that they cram for a long period of time the night before, or even the day of, a test.

But they don't necessarily see cramming as a bad habit that needs to be broken. For some students, such as sophomore Daniel Cheng, cramming is an effective way of studying that helps them understand the information better for what is most imminent — the test tomorrow.

“Cramming the night before helps me study faster, because I have a limited amount of time to learn the material, instead of relaxedly studying over several days,” says Cheng. “This also means that I might forget the material right after the test; I think it depends on how much you listen in class. That can give you some more confidence in studying, and you may actually remember the information after the test.”

IS IT REALLY THAT BAD?

For students like Cheng, studying is much more complicated than an issue between procrastinating and not procrastinating. Many students devise a personalized way of studying that they feel helps them learn the material the best.

Some rely on review sheets provided by the teacher while others review material directly from the textbook. Studying is such a multifaceted thing that there is really no right or wrong way to study. To put it simply, different methods work differently for different people.

Spending class time effectively is also important to consider. Attentiveness in class may provide students with a strong grasp of the material — so strong that they may not have to study as much.

"The thing that helps the most is paying attention in class," says subfreshman Kathleen Kohl. "By paying attention in class, I already know most of what I need to know.”

But that's easier said than done, especially when students are fighting off the effects of sleep deprivation. Taking notes is one way students can stay awake — literally and figuratively — and increase their understanding of the material.

Teachers agree that taking good notes helps ease the stress that students feel when studying.

“When you write something, you’re learning it,” says Mitchell.

Mitchell has contemplated making note-taking a part of his class grade. He says that if students keep detailed notes on the material being covered, they will have all the information they need in their notebook.

The same is true for Carrubba’s classes. He believes strongly in notes as a source of review. Students in his class are encouraged to read over their notes in preparation for quizzes. He says that if they don’t keep up with notes, and homework, they will fall behind.

In general, however, for all the unease and stress they feel, Uni students perform well on tests and exams. It seems that many have found the study method that works for them. Even if they do end up cramming, exactly how they cram may be the ideal study method for them.

“My time management is horrible," says junior Lor Sligar. "I procrastinate very badly, which hurts me a lot. I like my systems for studying, though. I think they really help me block things off in my head, and if it's all broken into chunks, then I can review more quickly.”