I really do not enjoy other people having incorrect opinions of me. So when I face difficulties concentrating on my studies, I pack up my books and head to places that are designated for studying. Libraries or reading areas are a perfect choice. When I was a high school student, there was a long waiting line to use the school library's reading areas. Therefore I used to wait in front of the library 30 minutes before it opened. Despite this inconvenience, there were people who fiddled with their phone during their whole time at the library. I used to think they were pathetic. Since I did not want others to think of me that way, I was more motivated to focus on my studies.

I think there are two reasons why people face certain temptations while studying during exam week. First is the physical limitation─not having enough strength to concentrate. In this case, I usually have a good sleep or exercise lightly. Second is the psychological problem, challenging oneself to fully focus. For this case, it is really a matter of willpower. A method that I use to motivate myself to keep going is to think about the difficult moments in my life─memories of seeing the moon outside the window while studying all night, missing the warmth of home while training in the army, or working for a part-time job during the freezing winter. Compared to those times, studying for exams now seems like nothing, so I can concentrate better.

The method that works best for me is spending money. Usually, temptations that make me struggle during exam week are hanging around with friends, going shopping, and playing games. Since I do not spend much money during exam week, I reduce such temptations by indulging myself. When I want to go shopping, I buy the things that I could not decide upon buying. When there is a movie that I want to watch, I simply go and watch it. Trust me. Watching one movie during exam week does not do much harm. When I provide such pleasures to myself, it is much easier to stay focused during the rest of the week.

Sports is an activity I have been part of since as long as I can remember, so I enjoy exercising when I cannot concentrate on studying. In high school, I used to play ball games to enhance my level of concentration, but I soon realized that excessive amounts of exercise only make me tired. Jogging, pull-ups, or parallel bars are enough to lightly stimulate the body and allow better focus. I also go out for walks and breathe in some fresh air to increase my concentration level. At times when exercising does not work, or I realize I am stressed out too much, I also go to karaoke to let out that stress.