I used a similar method for my engineering exams. I would regularly build a proper cheat sheet, prioritizing difficult to remember constants and formulae. Right up until I was handed the test, I’d review the notes to keep them in my head.
The moment I was given the exam to start, I’d clearly put away the sheet and then flip over the exam and re-write the relevant material so that I didn’t have to keep referencing it.
Speaking from my experience, the problem with these really big cheat sheets is that it can really encourage you to focus on the rote reference of things, where the distillation and recontextualization of the notes is a really valuable part. I’ve had many colleagues and students bring in really detailed cheat sheets like this and… they spend so much of the exam struggling to read and recreate the point, rather than just going down to their quick reference. I’ve never had a student who took that path who actually really outperfomed because of it; there’s something more valuable in being able to summarize the class material by hopping on one foot.
