My Study Method Pt. 3 (Passing the Customs Specialist Exam in 3 Months)

This is Part 3 of my study method for passing difficult exams through short-term intensive focus. This installment is completely free.

In this installment, I will compare the methods I practiced with a book I happened to find at the library, which contained content I strongly resonated with.

The book explains the habits of people who pass and fail exams, as mentioned in the title, across 50 items. I will categorize these into things I actually practiced and things that did not apply to me.

Before that, I will introduce Parts 1 and 2. Please read them together if you like.

<Parts that overlap with me>

(Streamlining work to carve out study time)

“People who fail exams think they can't pass because they are too busy with work, but people who pass exams streamline their work to avoid being busy, carving out even a little time to study in order to pass.”

To get home early, I also streamlined my work, focusing on making the content denser without reducing the total workload.

(Passing while causing trouble for family)

“Prioritize study time at home, but also carve out time for family by being disciplined. People who fail are too considerate of their family, ending up with a half-baked approach to both, unable to study seriously.”

If you only study, you won't get your family's cooperation, and if you only serve your family, you can't study. It is important not to be half-baked, but to be disciplined and fully serious about both. By doing so, you can achieve satisfying results even in a short amount of time.

(Not worrying about the pass rate)

The Customs Specialist exam I took had a pass rate of about 10% at the time.
It was quite difficult, but I didn't care about that at all; I studied under the assumption that I would pass as a matter of course.
I didn't even think for a second about 'what if I fail' or 'what should I do if I fail'.

(Having a vision for after passing)

Sometimes there are people whose hobby is taking certifications. For them, passing is the goal itself, and once they pass, their eyes shift to what certification to take next.
In my case, when I decided to take the Customs Specialist exam, I had already thought carefully about how to apply it to my work.
(This is not because I wanted to join a customs brokerage firm to become a customs specialist.)
Since I was using valuable time and effort, I had to make sure it was useful.

(Aiming to pass in a short period)

I decided to take the exam in mid-July, and the exam was in early October, so I only had about 3 months.
However, I had no intention of aiming for the following year.
I had nothing on my mind but how to pass in these 3 months.
I think this actually resulted in increasing my concentration.

(Planning by counting back from the exam date)

As I wrote in Parts 1 and 2, I seriously thought about how to use these three months, what to do in the first month, what to do in the next step, and how to finish things off during the final push.
I certainly did not start meticulously with the things I could do.

(Securing study time every day and focusing for short periods)

I made sure to dedicate time to studying after dinner, before work in the morning, during my commute, and during my lunch break.
Since I was working, I needed to focus in short bursts.

(Studying in the morning)

As I wrote in Parts 1 and 2, I made it a rule to review my night study sessions the following morning.
Two hours at night and two hours in the morning.
By reviewing the next morning, that is, within six hours, I aimed to improve memory retention.
I am tired at night, but in the morning, my head is clear after sleeping, so my studies were very productive.

(Being particular about tools)

In my case, I was particular about using a "card-style notebook."
It was an original design where I printed lines and names on postcard-sized thick paper.
As you study, you will find things you have memorized and things you have trouble remembering, but with a bound notebook, it takes time to open it for review. Also, you have to carry the whole book around.
On the other hand, with the card style, you can separate them one by one, so you can keep only the parts you haven't memorized at hand to review every time, and you can carry them with you during your commute.
This is a point I strongly recommend.

(Studying while doing other things)

I think being able to study anywhere, anytime, and while doing something else is a matter of concentration.
I studied while listening to music that enhances memory.
I feel that this improved my concentration.
The piece I chose was Ravel's Boléro.

(First, grasp the overall picture)

I do not agree with the idea of "starting by solving past exam questions" mentioned in the text.
This is because it is inefficient to start without knowing anything.
However, I highly agree with first grasping the overall picture.
I also used the thick textbook (guidelines) like a reference book to look up things I didn't understand, and I tried to understand the overall picture with a simple guidebook.
Since this is not a school class, there is no need to go through the textbook from scratch, as this is studying to pass an exam.

(Making an educated guess)

This is for the same reason.
When I was in high school, I was good at cramming the night before. I would focus on studying and memorizing the parts that were likely to appear on the exam.
I never studied everything evenly, or rather, I couldn't.

(Creating a mistake notebook)

There are few people who don't take notes when studying.
However, some people make making the notebook their goal.
There is no need to make it look beautiful.
It doesn't matter if the paper gets worn out or dirty in the parts that are hard to remember, as long as it is easy for you to see.
Let's use it while getting it thoroughly dirty.

(Repeatedly reviewing the problems you got wrong)

Keep repeating the problems that were difficult, hard to remember, or that you got wrong until you can solve them easily.

(Declaring your intention to take the exam to those around you)

Declare your intention to take the exam to those around you to the extent that it puts moderate pressure on yourself.
However, it is not good if it becomes excessive, heavy pressure that slows you down.
Choose someone cooperative to tell.

(Stop doing what you like and focus until you pass)

I put my hobbies and favorite activities like going out for drinks on hold to focus on studying for the exam.
In this sense, it won't last unless it's a short-term intensive effort.
Thinking, 'I want to pass quickly so I can go back to doing what I love,' actually helps you study more efficiently.

(Study with extra focus in the week before the exam)

Just like cramming for a high school exam, the week before the test is your final push.
Stuff in as much as you can.
This is where the battle is won or lost.

(Get in good condition)

Naturally, if you have a fever or are feeling unwell, you won't be in any state to take the exam. It would be a terrible regret if months of hard work went down the drain.
To prevent that, you must adjust yourself to be in peak condition on the day of the exam.
Don't overdo it with your diet, alcohol consumption, sleep, or workload.

(Make a packing list)

I manage my items by making a list with checkboxes for essentials, nice-to-haves, and things that might be useful in an emergency.
Think about how much money you need to bring as well.

(Arrive at the venue 2 hours early)

Since my nerves might wear off a bit if I arrive 2 hours early, I planned to arrive 1 hour before.
In any case, arriving right at the last minute is absolutely a no-go.
Arrive early to look around the area, go to the restroom, and check the route to the exam room. Then, review your remaining flashcards one last time to calm your mind and reassure yourself that you're ready.

(Don't be rattled by accidents)

If you can keep your mind calm, you can focus on the exam and complete your answers without being rattled by any minor accidents during the test.
Just imagining all the possible accidents beforehand makes it easier to deal with them calmly.

(Look at the entire exam first and solve the easy problems first)

When the exam starts, instead of solving problems in order from the first one, take a quick look at all the questions first.
Then, start by solving the easy ones.
You need to answer every question on the exam.
To do that, you can't afford to spend all your time on difficult problems and run out of time for the easy ones.
Start where you can, leave the hard parts for last, and if you don't know, just guess—the important thing is to fill in the answer sheet.

(Use the full exam time)

Sometimes you might finish all the questions and have time left over during the exam.
However, do not leave your seat.
Until the examiner tells you to put your pen down, you should review your answers multiple times to check for any misunderstandings or misinterpretations.

<Things that didn't apply to me>

(Spend time choosing which exam to take)

As I wrote in Parts 1 and 2, I happened to notice the Customs Specialist exam application guide sitting at a customs office counter I visited by chance, and I intuitively decided to take it.
The reason was that it would be useful for my work.
I had never considered any other exams.
Since I was clear about what I wanted to achieve by obtaining that qualification, I can empathize with this part.

(Change study plans as needed)

I never changed the basic study schedule I mentioned earlier.
I didn't have the luxury of changing it.
However, what I didn't change was strictly the basic schedule.
As I progressed with my studies, there were times when my understanding didn't keep up and I couldn't move forward. Since that was a schedule I had built with that in mind from the start, I felt that if things went smoothly, it would just be a bonus.

(Dare to take days off from studying)

It might be effective to intentionally create days without studying to rest your brain and refresh, but I didn't have that kind of luxury.
In my case, rather than intentionally creating them, if my brain felt congested, I would do things like resting and waiting a little until things started moving smoothly again.

(Attending school)

Vocational schools or correspondence courses would be the most reliable method if you have the time and money, but I didn't have that option.
Since I was self-studying, I had no teacher to consult, so I thoroughly researched the parts I didn't understand on my own until I could grasp them.

(Imitating others' study methods)

My study method is a completely original style that applies the cramming techniques I used in high school.
Since I'm only looking into other people's study methods like this after the exam is over, it might have been a bit easier if I had known about them sooner.

(Visiting the exam venue in advance)

This is something I wanted to do in advance, but since arriving early is enough, I searched for routes to ensure I arrived at least one hour early as mentioned in the previous section, checked the operation status, and simulated everything down to the time to buy tickets, transfer times, and walking time.
As with everything, it is very important to always simulate during the planning stage.
Even if you don't actually go there, by fully simulating it in your head, you can predict a certain amount of accidents and time loss. Please give it a try.

That was my personal commentary on the contents of the book I found at the library. Thank you for reading.
If you liked it, please give it a like and follow me. I will continue to strive to write good articles, so thank you for your support.

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