With exam dates approaching, students can’t help but feel the stress creeping up. Whether you’re just starting to prepare or you’ve been studying for months, hopefully, these actionable tips will help you conquer the stress in a timely manner:
Rejuvenate
First of all, relax and prioritize what’s important: your health. We make excuses for a lot of things, but our mental and physical health shouldn’t be one of them. It’s important that we feel refreshed and energetic before embarking on a task, so try exercising, staying hydrated, meditation/yoga, power napping or trying out a new hobby. This isn’t to distract you, but to help your mind stay alert.
Find The Best Resources
Have you ever Googled the term ‘best exam tips’, only to be inundated with tons of useful content? It kills your time going through each video, each article… and somehow be expected to incorporate all that into your study routine. It’s important to realize what’s most convenient for you, and how you’re going to find that. For example, go to the library with the intent to find 2-3 relevant books or bookmark a study-oriented website to help you with all your doubts from start to finish.
Practice
Upon asking a few seniors what helped them deal with their exam stress, most of the responses I got indicated that ‘constant practice’ was the main factor in their overall success with exams. It’s important to be consistent and disciplined while studying, and that means taking a few practice tests daily. Put in the effort, and you’ll see the results. Don’t panic if you get a bad score on a practice test! Track your overall progress.
Schedule
When will you study? How will you study? For how long? Write it down, not on your computer, but on a piece of paper (i.e. your study journal, a notebook or a calendar planner). Use your online calendar too, to send you regular updates and reminders. You could also create a spreadsheet and colour coordinate your study sessions and breaks. Planning and organization is a very important skill.
Collaborate
If it helps, study with someone. Call a friend, or schedule a study session with a group of friends. Before the session, set an agenda for all the topics you want to cover, argue your reasoning for various questions and try not to get distracted! Concentration is crucial for the session to be productive.
What to do the night before an exam?
So you’ve tried several different study methods, reviewed numerous books, practiced 1000+ online questions, rejuvenated your mind and body… what next? Take a long bath, organize your essential notes and stationeries for the big day and go to bed at a decent hour.
