For many university and college students, summer means the second session: retaking the exams they failed in January or June. A great many students go through it, and above all, it is a second chance. Here are 10 tips to approach it with a clear method and pass.
Second session, resits, retakes: what are we talking about?
In higher education in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, every course unit should in principle be assessed twice in the same academic year. If you did not reach 10/20 in January or June, you can therefore retake it in the late summer session, known as the second session (seconde session, deuxième session or troisième session in French).
It usually runs from mid-August to mid-September; the exact dates depend on your institution. In Flanders, it is called the “tweede zit” or “tweede examenkans”, and it also takes place in late August and early September.
Before you start, check two things in your institution’s study regulations:
- the list of exams you must or may retake, and the registration deadline for the session;
- the activities that cannot be retaken in summer (some internships, practical work or projects are assessed only once).
1. Identify what went wrong
Start by understanding why you failed. If you saw it coming, the reason is often simple: you started studying too late or only skimmed the material. If the result surprised you, look more closely at what went wrong.
- Were your answers incomplete or off topic?
- Did you run out of time to learn the key definitions and concepts?
- Did the type of questions throw you (exercises, open questions, multiple choice)?
If your institution lets you review your exam papers, go: that is often where you best understand what the lecturer expected. Each cause you identify then becomes a concrete action in your schedule.
2. Build a steady routine
This is probably the biggest challenge of studying in summer. Many people around you are on holiday, and the temptation to shift your days is strong. For you, a regular rhythm makes all the difference.
Take your cue from people who work through the summer rather than those who go travelling: get up at a fixed time, have a proper breakfast, and start your study day like a working day. Repeated every day, this routine soon becomes second nature.
3. Protect your sleep
A tired brain retains poorly. Most young adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night, and much of what you learn during the day is consolidated while you sleep.
Do you study better in the evening? That can work, but switch back to a daytime schedule in good time: your exams will be in the morning or afternoon, and you need to be wide awake.
4. Look after your body
A good rhythm and enough sleep are not always enough. During revision, quick meals are tempting, yet a varied diet will help you keep going for several weeks.
Move every day as well. A walk, a bike ride to the shops or a workout helps clear your mind so you come back to your notes more focused.
5. Reuse your summaries and study actively
There is no need to start from scratch: you already have summaries and notes, which saves time. Just check that they cover all the material, especially if incomplete notes were part of the problem in the first session.
Then focus your energy on practice rather than rereading:
- explain a concept out loud without looking at your notes;
- redo the exercises and past exam questions when they are available;
- write down what you do not know yet and come back to it over the following days.
To go further with these techniques, read our 5 tips to study and pass your exams.
6. Keep social media at a distance
A group chat to discuss exam questions can be useful, as long as you use it for that. Scrolling through your friends’ holiday photos, on the other hand, helps neither your focus nor your morale.
During your study hours, put your smartphone on silent or in another room. We explain why in our article on the impact of social media on students’ lives.
7. A summer job? Preferably in July
A second session does not stop you from earning some money for the next academic year. If you can, take your student job in July rather than August.
The weeks just before the exams are the most valuable: keep them for studying, exercising and resting. Also put your working hours in your schedule from the start, so nothing catches you off guard.
8. Choose the right place to study
Student room, family home, library or park: choose the place where you concentrate best, whatever others think.
- Feeling lonely in an empty student residence? At the library, surrounded by other students, you may find new energy.
- Constantly interrupted at home? Your student room may be quieter.
- Do you work better outdoors? A park is fine for rereading or reciting.
9. Make a realistic schedule
A schedule you cannot stick to discourages more than it helps. Use your experience of the first session: which subject did you run out of time for, which one needed an extra day or two?
If your second session is heavy, set priorities between the exams, taking into account the credits of each course unit and the pass rules of your programme. Also set aside time in your schedule for sleeping, eating, exercising, any summer job and time to relax.
10. Allow yourself breaks
Having a second session does not mean you cannot relax. After a full day of study, an evening at the cinema or a drink with friends is well deserved, guilt free.
If you know other students with a second session, meet up now and then: realising you are not alone often lifts your spirits.
Getting help for your second session
There is no magic formula, but these tips clearly improve your chances of passing. If a subject still feels stuck despite your efforts, targeted support can make the difference over the summer.
Since 2003, My Sherpa has offered private tutoring for higher education students, at home anywhere in Belgium or online. An educational advisor chooses your coach based on the subject and your needs: going back over a course you did not understand, practising exam exercises or working on your study method.
