Examinations bring stress and tensions to those who do not prepare for it beforehand. Most students get into panic mode during examinations. The growing number of suicides by students is a serious indication of the dangerous levels of stress that students go through during exam times. It is important that students realize that examinations are just another test and there is no need to make a big deal out of it. With timely preparation and systematic study techniques, they can do away with stress and related problems.
Last minute preparation for examinations should essentially focus on revisions of the study material and not starting from scratch. Most students spend nights cramming up information for an upcoming exam. This can lead to an imbalance of the body and mind, further leading to reduced mind power, lesser exam preparation and lots of stress. Here are a few tips on how to prepare for an exam effectively, without having to compromise on sleep and rest.
Positive Stress
Stress needn’t be negative always. For students who haven’t spent much time earlier on exam preparation, it is better that you take the stress in a positive manner and utilize the time at hand to prepare for your exam intelligently. Positive stress enhances mind power and the absorption capacity of the brain. Plan the exam by prioritizing important topics and charting the amount of time that you want to spend on each topic. Write down the exams you need to take, the important topics for the subject, the amount of time that you need to spend studying each topic and for the revisions. This way you will effectively utilize the time and also score good marks.
Organise your study space
Clean up your study space and make enough space for your books, notes etc. Cleaning up the clutter around you will free your mind and cause less distractions. This way your concentration will remain limited to your study materials and will not wander off to unnecessary things.
Practice Exam Question Papers
Most students believe in covering the entire syllabus in one night to pass their examinations. It is impractical and illogical as it creates an unnecessary load on the brain and also gives way to unnecessary negative stress. When you have less time at hand, focus on the important topics first. Go through the topics that have greater weightage in taerms of marks and probability of questions. Practice questions that have been asked in earlier years and this way you will be able to attend to maximum questions during the exams.
Revision
It does not matter if you have not been able to cover the entire syllabus. Prepare for the most important questions and the most important topics. Make notes as you study and go through these notes to revise the information that you have learned. This way you can retain the information that you have grasped and remember them for the exams.
Despite the techniques mentioned above, it is always best for a student to plan his studies and prepare for an examination well ahead of time. The last week before the examination should ideally be spent in revising lessons and notes. This way the amount of stress is reduced and a student will not have to compromise on his sleep, food and rest during examinations.
