Does the sight of students burying their noses in their notebooks and ramming their brains to remember every nook and cranny of the syllabus books seem familiar? Can you feel the impending fear and anxiety creeping in? A week before exams is stressful whether you study in high school or university.
Exams are really important to frame your future. They test your knowledge and hone your skills so that you can get land a job with competitive salary and secure your future. Also, exams are inevitable, so might as well give it your best shot.
This is more easily said than done. What’s crucial is that you have to complete your syllabus and effectively utilize your time so that you have time for revision before exams. Some students have the ability to concentrate for long but others procrastinate until the very last minute.
The pressure of exams often leads to sleep deprivation among students. Students need to improve their study patterns to gear up for the exams — it’s the completion of syllabus that counts, not the study hours.
Exam Struggles — Story of Our Lives
Unless you are a born genius, cramming everything till the last minute is actually a terrible exam strategy. You over exert your coping capacities which, instead of uploading information to your brain causes information overflow. This strains mental abilities.
There’s a common myth that the longer you study, the higher you will score in your exams. That’s not always true. No matter how long you study, you’ll only be able to score high marks if you attempt your paper smartly.
Today, some modern educational institutions criticize examination as a system to define a person’s intelligence. They believe that exams ae not the right tool to assess someone’s capabilities. Did you know that Einstein was a big exam critic too?
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~ Albert Einstein
Tips to Ease Out Exam Worries
Don’t want to suffer big time? Listed below are some of the tips that help you out in preparing for your upcoming exams.
Come Up with A Study Schedule
We have already emphasized the drawbacks of finishing the prep at the last moment. There are people who claim that it’s easier to remember if you memorize everything the day before your exam. But it’s too risky. What if you fell sick before your exam?
The best thing you can do is plan before hand and draft up a study schedule. Divide your syllabus for everyday. There are some subjects that need more attention than others so adjust the amount of time allocated to each subject accordingly.
Organize your study routine for the whole day and make sure you take breaks during your study time.
Indulge in Group Studies
One good way to get into the study mood is by asking your friends to make a group study session. If you can’t do that, join preparatory classes. A group of people studying together creates a great study environment that can positively affect you by motivating you to work hard for your exams.
You can even gain help online or from friends if you don’t understand a certain concept. There’s always a chance to learn that extra information you might not have known yourself.
This can only work if the study group remains focused on the subject they are studying and are not easily distracted.
Don’t Hesitate with the Questions
The worst thing you can do is not asking for help when you seriously need it. Often, people hesitate to ask because they might get embarrassed of not knowing a certain concept. They also feat that they’d be made fun of by their colleagues.
What if you fail? Your elders and teachers are always there to help you so never hesitate to ask questions that bother you.
Manage Your Study Space
Trying to study on your bed or couch with books spread all across the room hinders your focus when you want to study.
Organize your table with enough space to keep your books and stationary on it. Remove cell phones while studying. Constant beep of the message will distract you quite often. You can also brighten up the study space by getting a lamp for better illumination to help you concentrate at night.
Use Flashcards
Your notebooks aren’t the only materials that can help you memorize the syllabus. Once you are done with your revisions, use bright flashcards to jot down important points or formulas to remember.
You can paste them in places that are likely to go through your eyes, such your fridge or mirror or even the wall in front of your studying desk. Looking at an image of the flashcard description can equally help just as much as writing it down can.
Manage Your Sleep
Exam papers are made to stimulate your brain when figuring out the answers. If you are sleep deprived, chances are you wouldn’t understand anything and leave your paper half undone.
Rest your brain is important — don’t forget that you need at least 7 hours to relax and refresh yourself. Managing your sleep can boost your energy, help you concentrate better and you are more likely to remember information quicker.
Practice from Past Papers
An ideal way to ace your exams is through practicing enough past papers. They hone your skills whilst helping you understand the paper pattern of the upcoming exams. For instance, if you’re preparing for your accounting paper, you can download CMFAS mock papers to excel in the subject.
This is actually very helpful in providing exam guidance. You’d know beforehand how to solve the paper rather than wasting time during the exam time in understanding the instructions. By working on these papers, you will know what to expect and learn all the tips and tricks in solving that paper so that you can complete it on time.
Teach Others What You Know
Testing yourself through attempting past papers is a great tactic but do you know what’s even better? Teaching someone the same things you are learning. This has actually been proven to be really helpful in memorizing for exams.
Get a friend who needs help with studies; try to explain concepts to each other. This can further fortify your skills and help your friend out at the same time.
Take Breaks Midway
It’s great that you’re really focused on studying but don’t forget to relax. Forcing too much pressure on your mind can actually backfire. You will over exert yourself if you don’t take breaks every once in a while. Your brain needs rest to refocus so keeping the balance is what’s important.
Eat Healthy Food
Avoid the junk food because during exam season, maintaining a healthy diet can benefit you in a lot of ways. You can consume vitamins and supplements that act as energy boosters. Eat fruits and vegetables that enhance your memory and revitalize your body.
