Are you a bundle of nerves when it is exam time? If you are not then I take my hat off to you! But in most cases, exams are synonymous to stress for not one, but many reasons. It is not unusual to get the jitters before exams and many think that being nervous or stressed is a good sign towards a better performance. Well, not always, if it causes you to become over anxious and fear the exams for life. If you try, you can fight the stress and if you try harder, you may even ace your exams!
Here are some simple tips to ace your exams in style, with no stress:
1.CREATE A STUDY CORNER
Before you start preparing for your exams, it is important to create a study environment around you that will motivate you and drive you to study well. Studying at your own pace, in a calm and relaxed place will help a lot in decreasing your stress levels and also add to an increased level of focus and concentration. Keep a message board with your favourite motivational quotes, put up your study schedule, have a clock, a stationery kit and only what you really need to complete your study corner.
2.SELF-MONITOR YOUR SCREEN TIME, #STUDY!
“Let me update my Insta page, it’ll just take a minute.”
“I got a new notification on Facebook; let me have a quick look.”
“I guess I’ll just take a short break and watch this new video on YouTube.”
Before you know it, you’ve lost almost 70% of your day, with no study goal achieved. The world of social media is right by our fingertips and it is so hard not to stop fiddling around on your Smartphone. Parental control apps are handy but there is only so much one can do to avoid the distractions the virtual world creates all around. Self-monitoring your screen time is one of the best solutions to avoid this constant distraction. Say, you will concentrate and put in at least 5-6 hours of study time through the day and plan your breaks wisely. Whether it is a 10 minute break or a 30 minute break, take the time you need but make sure you come back to your study goal for the day…‘Hash tag’ STUDY.
3.STUDY HEALTHY, EAT SMART
Food makes one happy and happiness is a great stress buster for almost anything. When your body is well nourished, your brain feels the same and powers up more effectively in comparison to a fatigued, malnourished brain. Eating smart during exam time will help in establishing a healthy study routine. That is to keep your focus, your ability to memorize, your energy and patience to keep up with your study goals and having a refreshed mind. Try starting your day with a wholesome breakfast before you sit to read for your exams and you’ll see how relaxed and de-stressed your study time becomes!
4.FIND A STUDY BUDDY
If solo study is not your thing, join a study group or find a study buddy or a tutor. Studying with a partner or in a group is a great way to make your workload manageable and also have instant access to clear your doubts and questions. It can also give you the feeling of being in a team and positively reinforce your thoughts during time of stress. ‘You are not the only one going through something or having a million questions before exams’- it is important to know this, and being with like minded people, friends who can support you is just the kind of environment you need.
5.DON’T PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER
Research shows that sleep deprivation causes to increase stress level and unusual working hours during night can lead to a day filled with fatigue and lack of attention. Studying long hours could be especially tiring if you sacrifice your sleep for that. Many feel that they are not a morning person but even if you are nocturnal by nature you still need a minimum number of hours to rest. Your brain needs to relax to effectively retain the information for the future. Not only that but lack of sleep can make you fall sick too and you wouldn’t want that just before your exams, would you? 6-8 hours of sleep is a must to wake up rejuvenated and pulling an all-nighter is definitely not the way to go!
6.REMIND YOURSELF ‘YOU CAN DO THIS’!
It is easy to feel frustrated and get bogged down as you prepare for your exams and there is so much competition around too. You may not have mastered all subjects or every topic but there is a strategy to crack every exam and you just need to find your unique way to create a comfortable study pattern for yourself. Try not to obsess with topics you fail to understand, avoid thinking about low scores and past results. Concentrate on what you are working on now and get on with it. To put it honestly, there is no way around exams- you either do it or you don’t. And if you are already on your way to doing it, remind yourself to relax. It is easier said than done, but give yourself the pep talk- ‘you can do this’ and give your best!
To ace your exams without stress, you need to work towards it sincerely and consistently. Plan your time wisely, take frequent breaks, study in chunks, exercise daily and avoid last-minute cramming. What more to beat the exam stress? Treat yourself with a mini reward at the end of each day- a pizza, a bottle of coke or maybe a scoop of your favourite ice-cream! Chcekout PartyOne for more educational tips.