By the night before an exam, the learning is mostly done. What's left is making sure nothing silly costs you marks: a forgotten ID, the wrong pencil, a calculator that gets confiscated, or a bad night's sleep. Otago's semester 2 exams run until 7 November, so you'll probably go through this routine three or four times. Here's ours.
The night before
Stop at a set time
Pick a time to stop studying, like 9pm, and stick to it. The last hour of panicked revision rarely adds marks, and it often costs sleep. In your final session, go through your error list for that paper, the one-line notes on questions you got wrong. That's the most useful thing you can read. Our last two weeks post has more on what to do in the final days.
Check the details
- The exam's date, start time and venue on your personal exam timetable. Venues can differ between papers.
- Whether a calculator is allowed. Otago's examination rules say calculators aren't permitted unless the front page of the paper says so, and sometimes only approved models are allowed. A non-approved calculator in an "approved only" exam is taken off you for the whole exam.
- How you'll get there, and how long it takes.
Pack your bag
According to Otago's guide to sitting exams, you need:
- Photo ID. Your Otago student ID card is preferred. A current driver licence, Kiwi Access Card or passport also works.
- A 2B pencil. Multiple-choice answer sheets are marked by computer, so they need a 2B pencil. Bring two, plus an eraser and a sharpener.
- A pen for written answers. Otago recommends pen because it's permanent. Bring a spare.
- An approved calculator, only if the paper allows one, with a working battery.
Your phone and any other device with communication capability must be switched off and left in your bag at the front of the room, or handed to the supervisor. Notes, books and blank paper can't come in either.
Sleep
Aim for your normal bedtime. Sleep is when the day's learning is consolidated, and you think more clearly on a full night than on an extra hour of revision. If you can't sleep, resting in the dark is still better than getting up to study.
The morning of
- Eat something. A normal breakfast you know agrees with you. Exam day isn't the time to try something new.
- Warm up lightly. Five or ten easy questions from the paper, just to get your brain working. Don't start anything new.
- Get there early. You're let into the room five minutes before the start. If you arrive more than 45 minutes after it starts, you won't be allowed in, so leave plenty of margin for buses and parking.
- Avoid the crowd outside if it stresses you. People quizzing each other on obscure details right before an exam rarely helps anyone.
In the exam
Work out your time budget
When you get the paper, look at the total marks and the total time, and work out your minutes per mark. For example, 120 minutes for 100 marks is 1.2 minutes per mark, so a 10 mark question gets about 12 minutes. Write the time you should finish each section at the top of the page. It stops you spending 25 minutes on one question.
Multiple choice
- Fill in the answer sheet as you go, or in blocks of ten. Leaving it all to the end is how people end up with blank bubbles when time runs out.
- Flag questions you're unsure about and move on. Come back at the end.
- If you know the answer, trust it. Changing a right answer to a wrong one is one of the most common ways people lose marks.
- Don't leave any blank. Rule out what you can and pick one.
More on this in how to study for a multiple-choice exam.
Written answers
- Spend a minute planning before you write. Aim for one clear point per mark.
- Answer the question that's asked. If it says "explain", a list of terms won't get full marks.
- If you're running out of time, write the key points in short sentences rather than leaving a question blank.
Between exams
When you walk out, resist going through every question with friends. You can't change the result, and it tends to make people feel worse about an exam that went fine. Have something to eat, take an hour off, then start on the next paper.
If you have two exams close together, the evening after the first belongs to the second. A short walk and a proper meal make the next session better.
If you're unwell on the day
If you're sick or something serious happens around an exam, Otago has a special consideration process. Don't just skip the exam. Check the University's examinations pages straight away for what to do and the deadlines, because acting quickly matters.
FAQ
What do I need to bring to an Otago exam?
Photo ID (your student ID card is preferred), a 2B pencil for the multiple-choice answer sheet, a pen for written answers, and an approved calculator only if the paper allows one.
Can I bring a calculator to an Otago exam?
Only if the front page of the exam paper allows it. Some exams only allow approved models, and a non-approved one will be confiscated for the exam.
What happens if I'm late to an Otago exam?
Otago's rules let you in up to 45 minutes after the start. After that you won't be admitted, so leave plenty of time.
For timed, exam-style practice in every HSFY paper, see how Cutline HSFY works.
Cutline is not affiliated with the University of Otago. Exam rules are from Otago's examinations pages, checked 8 October 2026. Always check the rules and the front page of your own exam paper.
