Most students get a little stressed over the exam period. No matter how
hard you study, exams still cause anxiety and when you are feeling pressured
you may not be performing at your prime. If you find exam time difficult
or if you think nervousness may be negatively affecting your exam performance,
here are some practical ways in which you can beat the exam blues.
Be prepared
One of the greatest causes of anxiety during exams is not being adequately
prepared. The stress of feeling like you haven’t studied enough
is far worse than studying, so make an effort to plan ahead and stick
to your study schedule.
Sometimes you feel unprepared because you ran out of time and didn’t
complete your study schedule. Make sure you plan appropriately by timing
yourself when reading or studying a page. When you know how much time
each page takes, you can work out how much time you need to leave for studying.
If you have trouble planning your study times, ask your teacher or
tutor to help you to correctly estimate how much time to allot to each subject.
Practice makes perfect
One of the best ways to prepare for an exam and to gain confidence is to
do some practice exams. Ask your teacher or tutor to give you some previous
papers so you can test your skills. Doing previous exam papers not only
helps to ensure that you have all the skills you need, it also helps you
to grow accustomed to the way in which your teachers ask questions and
the kinds of answers they are looking for.
If you feel overwhelmed, ask your tutor for help with your exam preparation.
Your tutor can help you to identify areas where you need help and do test
exams with you.
Take care of yourself
One of the biggest mistakes students make is to study all night and live
on junk food while they cram for exams. Both lack of sleep and poor nutrition
lead to a disappointing exam performance. Your brain needs the right fuel
in order to function optimally. Just like you wouldn’t run a marathon
without a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast, you shouldn’t
attempt an exam without being well rested.
Get plenty of exercise. Physical activity helps to relieve stress and it’s
a nice way to take a break. Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
Relax, you’ve Got This!
Confidence is your most useful companion over exam time. If you start to
doubt yourself, your thoughts will become self-fulfilling prophecies.
When you catch yourself thinking negatively, just stop. Take a break and
change your internal dialogue to a more positive one. You can do it! Good
luck with your exams.
pic by College Degrees 360
