Puffy, Tigger, Tuck, and Amy

Those are my adorable pets! Puffy and Tigger are two seven year old purebred Persian brothers and Tuck and Amy are two "Love" Birds.
My family and I got Puffy and Tigger in October of 2001, even though it seems like just yesterday. Puffy and Tigger both have a sister and what is really interesting is that my aunt and uncle have Puffy and Tigger's half-brother named Hayward. Even though Puffy and Tigger are brothers, they are both so different. Whether I am petting either of them in the pitch-darkness or if I hear either of them meow from another room, I can tell them apart! Puffy is so funny because he only likes to be groomed in the bathroom, and only the bathroom! When my family and I brush him, he will only allow us to do so if he is on the bathroom counter or in the tub. Tigger is funny because he only likes to be groomed at night. He will tell us when he is ready when he rolls over on his back and stretches out his arms and legs. Tigger also crosses his paws over each other and literally smiles at you when you sit next to him. Tigger also fetches and likes to "chirp" at the birds outside. Puffy loves cream cheese and whip cream and he loves to sit on fluffy blankets or pillows, whereas Tigger likes to sit on paper! :]
Tuck and Amy are such fascinating little birds. They are both four years old and always sit next to year other. When they fight, they each puff up like little balls and chirp at each other. When my family and I play light music for them to listen to they will sway back and forth to the rhythm of the music! Almost every morning I chirp (or whistle) to them and they will chirp back. All four of our pets get along with each other very nicely! It was especially cute when we brought Tuck and Amy home because both Puffy and Tigger gently arched up to see the cage set on a small table and began sniffing the cage. Tuck and Amy were not afraid! :]

Studying for English Finals

It is impossible to compare studying for a Biology exam or a French exam to studying for a British or American Literature exam. I will hear individuals who tell me that they are "cramming" for their Chemistry final just a few days before the test. Some of them have unfortunately waited until the last minute to study for the final and have to, for example, memorize twenty formulas and more than fifty terms. I certainly cannot do that, can you? This sort of studying habit is almost impossible to manage while studying for an American or British literature exam.

When studying for an English exam, it is best to start reviewing after the first class, or as soon as you are aware of what texts will be covered or read. Otherwise, cramming will not help you and will only make you stressed out. Also, do not rely on "cheats" such as cliffnotes or sparknotes, those are only acceptable when you have read and understand the text and just want a quick reminder. There is nothing that can effectively replace reading the text.
A good friend of mine was studying for an English literature final, and this person believed that if they are able to go over and skim through five short stories, they would be all set. This however was not the case.
I, for example, had read all of the texts except two and I was still a bit hesitant on some of the identification and fill in the blanks in regards to quotations and characters from the texts. Later after the exam, this person felt awful because they were so unprepared.
Remember, the only way to learn anything effectively, especially understanding a text, start off slow and work on it gradually in order to take as much in as you can. Also, don't forget to take notes! The more you focus, the more you retain!