Know Your Schedule, Make a Plan
(Thrive During Exam)Verify your exam schedule again before you begin studying. Note each of your examinations’ dates, times, and locations. Make a note of the time you must leave in order to arrive a few minutes early. If your examinations are online, be sure you know how to access them when it’s time to take them.
Make a plan after you have your schedule finalized and posted somewhere you can readily refer to it. The more specifics, the better.
Make a list of all the material you must learn before each of your final exams. Determine what you need to study each day leading up to the exam by working backwards from there. Consider how long each component will take you, then budget the required number of hours in preparation.
Form a study group
If you do most of your work remotely, this one could be challenging, but it’s not impossible. You will be held more accountable for your studies when you study in a group. Even if the study sessions are conducted through video, you must participate and be there.
You can take a break from independent study because of it. You can work together with other students to pick up information that you might have missed in your own notes. A study group is a fantastic location to have last-minute questions answered.
Clear out distractions
It’s one thing to concentrate on your studies during a typical college year. But the difficulties associated with remote learning raise the bar significantly! That is why this advice is crucial.
That might include clearing your desk of everything but your study materials. It can entail putting your phone aside while you study or installing a concentrate programmer on your computer. You might need to schedule frequent 10-minute prayer breaks or request that your family or housemates refrain from bothering you while you are studying.
Try anything that helps you concentrate.
Find a good study spot
This brings us to our second suggestion: choose a comfortable place to study. You should be able to concentrate for two to three hours straight in a quiet setting. If there are no open spaces on campus, pick a room in your home to utilize as a study area. And if at all possible, avoid making it your bedroom. You likely identify that area with unwinding and, of course, sleeping. Being alert and doing well in class may be more difficult as a result. Make your room a productive study area if you must study there. Keep a bright light on, some lively music playing, and the area neat throughout sessions. If you can, turn your desk away from your bed or toward a window.
Take care of yourself
Your exam performance may have you feeling unsettled, which can lead to tension and anxiety. Due of the workload associated with finals, it is not surprising that many students suffer declines in their mental health.
No matter how challenging it may be, give yourself permission to relax. Take a 30-minute power nap or jog around the block for 10 minutes if you start to feel tired. Prepare a healthy food or dedicate more time to worship or prayer.
Your brain will be able to relax thanks to these brief intervals. In addition, it can be very tempting to skip sleep when studying. But if you’ve slept for at least 7-9 hours, you’ll remember and recall knowledge better.
How to stay calm during a test
Don’t be alarmed if you feel anxious out throughout a test; it’s normal You should undoubtedly devise a plan for taking the test and completing it on time. On the other hand, if you’re feeling tense or nervous, it’s equally important to relax both physically and mentally. Take a few deep breaths, unwind your body, and let your thoughts to roam. If you make an effort to relax and think uplifting thoughts, you can concentrate and get through.
Image labelled "Step to Maintain Calm During a Test"
Engage in constructive self-talk. When you’re under pressure, it’s quite simple to think poorly of yourself. However, none of these are likely to make you feel more at ease before an exam. Instead, consciously choose to believe that you are capable of passing the test and that you are prepared for it.
For instance, push away ideas like “This test has so many questions. I won’t be able to get through them all because I’m so ill-prepared.
Replace any negative thoughts like “I know there are a lot of questions here, but if I take them one at a time, I know I can make it through” with positive ones like “I know there are a lot of questions here.”
A simple “I can do it!” can have a significant impact
Image titled stay calm during a test
Don’t get caught up in what others are doing. If you glance around and see that other people are passing the test with ease, it could make you feel more apprehensive. Or, you could notice that others seem to be experiencing a similar level of stress, which won’t do anything to lift your spirits. Just make an effort to keep your focus on what you are doing.
If you feel the need to briefly shift your concentration away from the exam, just close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Image titled stay calm during a test
Chuckle a little. Humor has the power to reduce stress and keep you motivated for some people. For example, you might joke around with yourself by telling yourself, “Boy oh boy, I’m going to botch this one.” You may even entertain hilarious ideas by imagining your professor grading your essay while lounging at home in an absurd house robe.
Making a little fun of yourself could help you get rid of your anxiety and focus on the exam.
Visit your favorite place. When they’re under stress, a lot of people find that visualizing is beneficial. For a brief moment, close your eyes and visualize being somewhere you truly enjoy being. Think of oneself as calm and stress-free. Consider this a motivator: once the test is over, you can return to your favorite area.
Some folks also find that picturing the exam itself is useful. For instance, if you feel overwhelmed by the quantity of questions, try seeing the test as a dense jungle that you are navigating by answering each question one at a time.
Image titled stay calm during a test
Put on several layers of cozy clothing. You can then adapt to the testing environment in this manner. For example, you can avoid becoming cold by layering a hoodie over a t-shirt. Simply unzip the hoodie if it becomes too warm. With the aid of these simple techniques, you may concentrate on the exam rather than your discomfort.
When seated, let loose. When you’re under pressure and taking an exam, you often end up slouching. You might also bob your legs up and down and have clinched hands.
However, being physically tense won’t help you feel better throughout an exam. Instead, strive to, Maintain your feet firmly planted on the ground. Put your hands and arms at ease. Instead of slouching over the desk or table, lean back a little in your chair
Relax Your Self
Breathe deeply. When they are stressed, many people also have a propensity to breathe quickly and shallowly. Instead, take deep, steady breaths to calm yourself down and improve your focus. Try to focus on your breathing during the test. Stop occasionally and then close your eyes.
Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose. Repeat by taking a slow, mouth-exhaling breath out. Refreshed, open your eyes and resume the test!
Engage in mindfulness. Some mindfulness activities can be beneficial if you are having problems focusing on a particular aspect of the test, if your mind starts to wander, or if you start to feel a little anxious. These aid in maintaining your present-moment focus while lowering tension and enhancing attention.
If you can, take a break. You can take a few deep breaths, stretch out a little, clear your mind, and just recharge when you’re moving. Ask whether it’s okay to take a brief break to get some water or use the restroom as long as you’re managing your time well for the test. Refreshed and prepared for the last stretch, return
Strategizing your way through the test
Study the test well. When you’re anxious about an exam, it’s simple to forget the fundamentals, like reading the directions. However, take a moment to go through the test’s full instructions before starting. Make sure you comprehend the instructions, and if not, request clarification.
If there are numerous portions to the test, it is also worthwhile to take some time to review the sections.
Select the topics or questions you want to work on first. Some people choose to start with simple material as a warm-up and to develop confidence before moving on to harder stuff. Some people want to get the harder questions or portions out of the way by starting with them. Whatever method you pick, having a strategy for passing the test will make it easier to manage.
Spend some time on it, but don’t let it drag on. Rushing through an exam, even if it is timed, won’t assist you. Work steadily, reading each question attentively, and taking your time to respond. But if you have a problem with one, don’t get bogged down and spend all your time on it. Continue, and if you have time in the end, return to it.
- The pursuit of mindfulness can be a personal discipline or serve as a catalyst for a stronger sense of community.
- With projects to complete, examinations to be ready for, and holiday events to organize, the end of any semester may be a confusing period for your mind. Here are some of my suggestions for surviving (and you will!)
Practice mindfulness. - A stress-reduction approach called mindfulness involves paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and breath. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your back straight but without contacting the chair back as a brief workout. Set the timer on your phone to count down for 90 seconds.
- Close your eyes while placing your right hand in your left. Feel the air entering and leaving your nostrils, as well as your chest gradually rising and falling, as you breathe a bit more slowly and methodically than usual. When your thoughts stray, be pleased of yourself for having recognized them in silence and then bring your attention back to your in- and out-breaths.
- On test day, paying attention to your breathing can allow you to relax and perform at your best when it’s time to start writing.
Destroy the distractions
When you have a piece of paper and a pen close by, you may write down any distracting ideas almost as if you were removing them from your head and writing them down instead.
One of the benefits of mindfulness meditation is that it teaches you to be non-judgmental about when your mind wanders, to notice the lapse, and to calmly bring it back to your activity.
If you don’t snooze, you lose
Make sleep a priority. You must get enough sleep to perform at your best. That’s normally seven to nine hours for young adults. When you’re under stress or have been studying all day, it may be difficult to fall asleep.
Utilize free mindfulness meditation apps like Headspace or Australia’s freshly updated Smiling Mind to unwind before bed. Write down any thoughts you have regarding your job on a notebook and save them for the morning.
A fit body helps a fit mind
Regular exercise You may go for a walk, run, swim, practice yoga, take a dancing class, or go to the gym—whatever you find most enjoyable. Together with adding to the incentive, exercising with a companion may be more enjoyable.
Treat yourself (to something healthy, of course)
Pick foods that are both delicious and healthy. While enjoying delicious treats while studying is fantastic, avoid bingeing only on chips and biscuits. Some of my favorites are almonds, chopped fruit with a couple scoops of unsweetened yoghurt, and dark chocolate.
Pretty up the place
Study in a lovely setting. If you must read something on paper, try to go outside and take in some sunlight while you underline. If you are more productive at your desk, invest $10 or less in a bouquet of gorgeous flowers that you can place in a vase to make the space and your attitude more cheerful.
Don’t be too hard on yourself!
If you didn’t do as much work as you had planned to, there’s no need in being hard on yourself. With what you have at this time, you can only do your best. Therefore, put today’s transgressions behind you and concentrate on tomorrow.
You can do it! Good luck!
Don’t leave the hours leading up to your exam to chance after spending so much time studying. Here’s how to ensure that you’re prepared:
Self-doubt occurs to everyone occasionally. These ideas may come and go fast for some people. Others, however, realize that their “doubts are traitors,” to use Shakespeare’s phrase, prevent them from reaching their full potential. For years, top athletes have understood how crucial a pre-performance preparation is. It enables people to concentrate on what matters, enabling them to pay close attention to the work at hand and use their capabilities to the fullest.
Could students apply the same ideas before an exam? Students must now more than ever demonstrate their ability to function under pressure with the elimination of modular examinations. Unfortunately, a growing number of individuals are expressing that they don’t feel like they can survive, much less prosper.
I’ve already discussed some of the top strategies for enhancing learning during revision time and reducing revision stress. But what easy recommendations can students make to make sure those vital last hours are employed to their most advantage the morning of the test or at lunchtime before it?
Eat breakfast
The most crucial meal of the day is breakfast since the time between supper and breakfast is the longest that your body spends without recharging. A normal breakfast of cereal, which contains complex carbs, has been demonstrated in studies to aid with memory and focus throughout the morning.
Additionally, studies show that habitual cereal breakfast eaters are “less emotionally upset and have lower levels of perceived stress” in comparison to non-consumers.
Arrive at school with plenty of time
Exam stress is already high enough without having to worry about being late. Any worry or anxiety that people may already be experiencing tends to be amplified by being late. If you adhere to the adage “if you are not early, you’re late,” you’ll be on the correct track to beginning your tests with confidence and composure.
Avoid people who stress you out
The adage “you are the average of the five individuals you spend the most time with” seems to hold true when it comes to education. According to research, instructors’ compliments have a direct impact on how proud pupils are of themselves.
Consider who helps you feel confident and at ease the morning of your exam, and aggressively seek them out. Avoid being with people (friends or not) who are particularly unpleasant or stressful in the days leading up to your exam.
Inform you of all the preparation and hard work.
This may help you feel more confident heading into the exam. You will feel more at ease if you take a minute to think back on all the arduous effort you have accomplished. Athletes frequently employ this strategy in the lead-up to stressful tournaments to improve their performance. Making use of this opportunity to think back on your accomplishments in the past should also help you feel more confident.
Pause For A Minute And Take Some Deep Breaths
People frequently misjudge how much time they have while under duress. As a result, they rush and make careless errors that cost them points.
You can be reminded to slow down by paying attention to taking a few deep breaths. In a physiological sense, this lowers your heart rate and eases tension. You give yourself time to properly examine the circumstance, formulate a strategy, and select the best course of action by slowing down or halting for a moment.
