Dear middle school entrance exam candidates.

Hello.
Today, as someone who is currently a cram school instructor, I would like to write about what I want to convey to middle school entrance exam candidates at this time of year.

Things I want to convey.

There are three main things I want to convey.
I would like to explain them separately.

1. How to spend winter break

　Most elementary schools have likely held their closing ceremonies, and you have just entered winter break.
　Even though it is called "winter break," for exam candidates, it is not a "break" at all.

　Since there is no elementary school (though many children are off from elementary school in January...), excluding time spent at cram school, this is the final period before the exam where you can study whatever you like as much as you like.
　Once January arrives, the exams for schools you are taking in January will begin in earnest ahead of the February entrance exams in the Tokyo metropolitan area, so it will inevitably become difficult to find large blocks of study time.

　Therefore, the winter break period can be called your last chance to overcome your weak subjects.

　Suppose you reach January with your weak subjects still remaining.
　The January exams will not wait for you and will come one after another, so you will end up entering February without having been able to address your weak areas.
　Many major cram schools publish teaching materials that review basic points. And I believe most exam candidates have them.
　Specific examples of such materials are as follows.

　The materials mentioned above are ones that summarize the key points of social studies and science well.
　So-called, in many cases, these materials can cover basic social studies and science questions for mid-tier schools, so I recommend that you go through these materials not just once, but many times.
　Also, since these do not have that many pages, it might be easier to tackle them if you decide on a range to do each day, such as 3 to 5 pages.

　For problems you do not want to get wrong regardless of which middle school you are taking, such as Japanese kanji or arithmetic calculations, I think the textbooks you usually use are fine, so make sure to review your kanji and calculations.
　Some of you might think, "Do I still have to do daily repetitive exercises at this time of year?" but if you slack off on your daily exercises, you might have a painful experience on the actual day.

　In addition, regarding weak subjects, it is preferable to do field-specific exercises in addition to past exam paper practice.
　The corresponding parts of your textbooks are fine, or materials like Core Plus or Memory Check are also fine, but let's focus on strengthening them in the form of exercises followed by review.
　Also, for the problems you got wrong, make sure to thoroughly analyze "why" you got them wrong.
　As a recent trend in entrance exams, there is a tendency to have students read long passages of text, so sometimes the cause of an incorrect answer is "not being able to read the question text" rather than simple "lack of knowledge".
　Let's make sure to approach that cause accurately.

　The main focus of studying during this period, which is just before the exams, is to crush any gaps whenever you find them.
　For those attending cram school, there will be a "winter course," but make sure not to slack off on reviewing those as well.
　By reviewing every day, you will develop a habit of repetitive learning outside of class, making it easier to solidify your knowledge.

　However, the thing I want you to be most careful about is "physical condition".

"Alright, it's the final stretch. Let's do our best!"
　
　It is a fact that this is a period where it is easy to get less sleep or become unwell because you are trying hard with such strong feelings. In the current situation, not only influenza but also the novel coronavirus is rampant, so please study while also being careful about other infectious diseases.

2. Preparation for the day

Next is preparation for the day of the exam.

　First, check your exam schedule once more with your mother and father.
　If it is a local school, remember that the exam venue is a different place from the school. Let's review all the various information, such as morning exams and afternoon exams.
　And please, by all means, make sure not to lose your exam admission ticket. All your hard work so far could go down the drain in an instant.

　I will focus on the morning exams, which are common at many schools.

　For example, suppose the meeting time at the exam venue is 9:00 AM.
　It depends on where you live, so I cannot say unconditionally, but the ideal is to wake up 3 hours before. Try to wake up at least 2 hours before.

　According to brain scientists, the brain is most active 4 hours after waking up. If that is the case, it is best to allocate that time to Japanese and arithmetic, which have particularly large score distributions.
　Let's firmly switch to a "morning person" lifestyle and thoroughly practice going to bed early and waking up early.

　Also, by doing daily calculations and kanji practice in the morning, the time it takes for your brain to wake up will become faster, so making this a habit is the key.

　“I only need to wake up when it's time for the exam, right?”
　
　Some of you might be thinking this.
　However, humans aren't built that well, so you won't be able to do things you don't normally do. In fact, it will disrupt your rhythm and have a negative impact. If that's the case, I strongly, strongly recommend that you make it a habit starting now.

3. Mindset

Finally, it's about “mindset.”

　Many candidates have been studying for several years, starting from 4th or 5th grade, to get into the school they want to attend.
　In a way, it's a long-term unrequited love.
　And the entrance exam result is, so to speak, the reply to a love letter.
　If you are told “Accepted,” that great love has been fulfilled, and if you are told “Rejected,” it means that your feelings were not returned.

　Writing it this way, I think middle school entrance exams seem like a very big deal. However, it might be a buzzkill to write this, but “it's just middle school after all.”“It's just middle school.”
　
　Honestly, the school that matters most in life is university.
　Even if you go to a good middle school, if you don't go to university, you are a “high school graduate,” and if you go to university from a public middle school, you are a “university graduate,” and the latter has a higher social standing than the former.
　But you are all trying to take the exam.
　
　I don't mean to deny middle school entrance exams, but that's all they really amount to. I think you should approach it with a relaxed mind.
　It's just the difference between a grand unrequited love story ending in a bad end or a happy end.　
　(Well, I think you'll have fun no matter which middle school you go to.)

　That is why there is a phrase I often say to my students.

　This is the phrase.
　
　I treat all exams, not just middle school entrance exams, as events.
　However, the middle school entrance exam event is especially special.
　Unlike university entrance exams, there is no “ronin” (gap year) system, so if you don't get the ticket for the “middle school entrance exam” event when you are in the 6th grade of elementary school, you won't be able to use it.the ticket for the “middle school entrance exam” event can only be obtained once in the 6th grade of elementary school, and if you don't get it, you can't use it.
　You only live once. Why not enjoy this one-time event? is my personal theory.

　Well, despite saying that, it is a fact that many children cannot enjoy the exam.

　If so, I think you should do the best you can by the end of January (the day before the exam).
　It might be too late. However, it might not be too late yet.
　
　If there is even a 1% chance, I think you should bet on it.

　There must still be a chance to rewrite your grand love story into a happy ending. If you are sparing effort for that, there is no way you will pass the exam. Because the other children around you (who are in love with the same school) are making the corresponding effort.
　
　First of all, “try as much as you can.”
　
　No matter what the result is, the fact that you tried your hardest toward one goal will not lie.
　If you have a school you are aiming for, just try your hardest toward it. If you do that, your heart will be full of confidence when you take the exam.
　If anything, you might even gain a little bit of peace of mind. That is a necessary condition for the seemingly crazy idea of “enjoying the exam.”

　If it's a special event, why not enjoy it?

Finally

　I have written at length about things that might sound arrogant, but I wrote this from the standpoint of someone who has experienced middle school entrance exams and is a middle school entrance exam tutor.
　You can never go back and retrieve what you left behind during the middle school entrance exam.
　That is because it is an exam that only happens once in a lifetime.

　I sincerely pray that the exams of all of you who are doing your best toward your goals until the very last day will go well.