Exams are nightmares for all students without exception. I have never found in my life any student who is happy about the prospect of appearing for an examination. Preparing for examinations is even more stressful than giving the exam. Stress is something that comes automatically and though there is no magical way that you can remove stress altogether, there are ways that you can minimise stress by a large amount.
Stress is the main reason that students fail to pay their full attention during examination. Recent researches have shown that with the high amount of competition among students nowadays, there has been a steep rise of more than 100% in stress received by students during exams. Stress starts with anxiety regarding performance and increases till it reaches its peak during exam hours.
Here are 7 easy ways how you can beat the stress during exam period:
- Prepare early
Most exam related stress cases happen because of last-minute preparations. If you procrastinate and wait for the final hours of the exam to prepare,stress will pile up and you will not be able to handle it. That is why it is a good practice to start preparing for the exams early on. Then you will be able to tackle the tough subjects earlier and gain a lot of confidence in the process. It will also provide you with the time to make revisions of the subjects that you are weak at.
- Make a study routine
Want to bring more order to your study patterns? Then prepare a routine to plan out your studies. Also remember to follow your schedule religiously for the routine to be effective. This will help you to manage your time more effectively and thus, lessens the level of stress. If you think that you might get bored by the similar routine every day, then try varying it so that it does not become monotonous and you have enough break time to feel energised for studying.
- Stay healthy
Even if the saying “a healthy mind in a healthy body” sounds clichéd, it is the truth. If you are not fit enough, you will not be able to concentrate on your studies well. Take time out of your busy schedule to exercise and take restwhenever you feel like taking, so that your energy level does not drop. Always eat healthy during the exam period and refrain from eating junk foods. You do not have the luxury to fall ill during your exam and lose valuable time.
- Refrain from bad habits
This is usually an important point for college students and those who live in hostels. It is a common thing that while living in hostels you will acquire some unhealthy habits or live a carefree life. But this should not come in the way of your preparation for the exams. Waking up late is a prevalent problem among hostel boarders. “The early bird catches the worm” is not just an old adage. Through scientific experiments it has been found that the human brain is most active during the morning period and if you spend this period sleeping off, you are going to lose more than just worms. Also try to abstain from any stimulating substances like alcohol and cigarettes. Remember it is just a brief solution for stress but in the long run you are harming yourself.
- Try to socialise
Some students like to cut themselves off completely from the society to give complete attention to their exam preparation. This is not a good idea, though. You will get more stressed out if you do not have anyone to share your thoughts. Take your time out to socialise with friends and family. You can even go for social gatherings that will refresh your mind and you will feel relaxed. You will also get a lot of good advices from your friends and family.
- Avoid comparison
Comparisons are dangerous, as no two persons are alike in their way of studying and understanding. Every person has their own way of studying. You need to find out what is good for you instead of comparing with others. Most of all do not get panicked when someone says that a subject is easy and you are weak in that subject. There may be some other subject that you are good at and it will balance it out.
- Above all, do not panic
I have seen so many brilliant students who are well-prepared for their examination, but suffer from bouts of panic during the examination. They ended up not doing well enough then they should have done. Panic is a state of mind which leads to hyperventilation through anxiety and stress. All the answers are in your head. So remain calm and breathe deeply whenever you feel the stress. Then start the exam with the easiest questions to alleviate your anxiety level. Also much of the stress arises due to the threat of persecution of students by their parents. Parents should know that their child is preparing well and giving their best. They know why this important for them. Let them be responsible for their own performance and support them well in their preparation.
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