How I Study For Tests

This is basically what happens when I study for a test next day. 

Pen? Check.

Sharpened pencil? Check. 

Eraser? Check. 

Fresh notebook? Check. 

Text book? Check. 

Highlighter? Wait... I didn't get my highlighter, so I'd better get it now. 

I get up from the bed (which also happens to be my comfy study table) and jog to the living room. My mother is on the iPad and my grandmother's seated beside her, chattering about the greenery and beauty of her village. 

I stop midway, realizing that I haven't checked my Facebook notifications. Nor have I looked at my WhatsApp messages. 

I take my phone from the coffee table and tap on the green WhatsApp sign. Instantaneously, all the messages appear. Some random messages in some random groups which don't concern me... some messages from classmates reminding me about what I'm supposed to bring to class... some messages from besties about how cute my dp is... some messages from guy buds about guy stuff... 

I scroll down my contacts' list, checking out random people's profile pictures and statuses. I message some, I ignore others...

Finally, I look up from my phone. My eyes fall on the clock and my eyes widen in shock. 

"Done with your phone aren't you?" Grandmother says dryly. "Now you'll use the iPad. Then you'll listen to music. After fluttering around like a giant bat, you'll go back to your phone and then you - uff! This cycle goes on!" 

"Actually," I say coolly, glaring at my grandmother. "I was just going back to study. I came here to get my highlighter." 

With that, I pluck my brand-new highlighter from my case and go back in my bedroom. I shut the door a bit too roughly and smile. 

Oh, I'm so going to top my exam... 

I pick up my text book and start reading. 

The Law Of Demand states that, "Other things being equal, the higher the price of the commodity, smaller is the demand and the lower the price of the commodity, greater is the demand!" 

I read that sentence a couple of times, till it's committed to my memory. 

Suddenly, a lot of thoughts attack my mind. 

What is the purpose of this life? Who created this earth? Why did He/She/It create this planet? Who is God? Is He/She real? Why does this ceiling look so interesting to me right now? 

Oh God. I'm thirsty. 

I get up and yawn dramatically. I stretch a bit, rumple my hair and tie it into a bun. Finally, I get out of the room and walk to the kitchen. 

(Walking is an overstatement as my kitchen is right next to my bedroom) 

I grab a bottle and go back in, guzzling down some of the water as I go. 

Half-An-Hour Later

"Phew!" I sigh in relief and shut the book. "I'm done with this chapter! I need a break now." 

I get up from the bed and prance to the living room. I take out my phone, plug the earphones into my ear and start listening to Summertime Sadness. 

I've got my earphones on tonight, dancing in the room, below the pale tubelight... 

Three Hours Later

"Goodnight, love." My mother says, yawning. "Come back to sleep soon... it's already eleven o' clock." 

Her sleepy words don't register in my ears. I'm frantically going through my notes, mentally cursing myself for being such a lousy, undisciplined procrastinator. 

Elasticity of demand is the degree of responsiveness of the change in demand to the degree of responsiveness of the change in price...

Waitaminute... why is this thing not getting inside my head? 

I slam the Economics textbook shut and yank open my Maths textbook and a rough notebook. My fingers are shivering as I copy the sum. 

What the HELL IS THE DERIVATIVE OF ROOT X?? 

"Focus." I instruct myself, breathing slowly. "Focus." 

BUT TELLING MYSELF TO FOCUS WON'T MAKE ME KNOW WHAT ROOT X IS!!!

I set the pen down. and get up. I start pacing the room, carefully calculating my next move. 

The tests are in the morning at eight, right? It's ten-o-clock right now. I'll study 'til one, finish chapter four in Economics and then start with Derivatives again. In the morning at four, I'll finish derivatives and have a fifteen-minute revision of each chapter. 

That'll do nicely, I hope. 

Then, my eyes fall on my phone. 

It's an involuntary impulse. My fingers start twitching. My brain is saying, "No! No! No! Don't take that damn thing!" while my heart is encouraging, "Yes! Yes! Yes! Use it for five minutes! Then keep it aside! Switch it off!"

I ball my fingers into fists and bite my lower lip. No, I'm not doing this. This is my career I'm messing with. I'm not going to give in to the materialistic pleasures of life and muck up my entire life... nope... nope... 

Oh, who am I kidding?  

My fingers uncurl and instantaneously snatch the phone. 

The feeling of relief seeping within me is immense. It's like, a huge load of stress building in my stomach is melting like ice. It's only five minutes, right? Five minutes of chillaxing won't do any harm, right? 

One Hour Later

Oh boy. I'm dead. 

I don't think I'll even pass. Good grades are far, far away now.