Stress can come as a natural component during exam time. A motivating degree of stress can be acceptable, but an elevated level can be upsetting and bad for your body.
Have a positive mindset right through
Negativity can come spontaneously, especially during anxiety and stress. You need to check the negativity from becoming overwhelming and capturing. Maintaining a positive outlook is essential to combat stress. Consider your exam as an assignment which needs dedicated attention. Think it an opportunity to showcase your academic talent, instead of triggering the panic button and succumbing to stress. Exams are aimed at improving you, and are not supposed to be your ultimate evaluator in life. Focus on the past when you had success.
Focus on your goal and understand that stress can hamper your efforts in achieving them. Think of the bridging objects. Take some minutes off and think about the comforting person or thing in your life. The thought of goodness provides a calming effect. Motivate yourself by self talks. Tell yourself repeatedly that you can accomplish the task as you are worthy of it. Sometimes, a âmantraâ can help you boost self confidence and motivate you. The repetition of mantra over and over again can help soothe anxiety.
Implement a healthy lifestyle
To absorb healthy thinking, have a healthy body through superior lifestyle. Nutrition is essential during exam time, when your mind and body are supposed to perform better than usual. Avoid foregoing meals. This is not the appropriate way to keep away from drowsing and lethargy. Go for short and healthy meals. Do not compromise the breakfast as it gives you the energy to start the day with a fresh note. Avoid consuming fast food, which though easy to eat, can have prolonged harmful effects in the form of fats and calories. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables in abundance. Include roughage in your diet to avoid stomach discomfort.
Go to bed without worry and anxiety for the coming day. Avoid taking books to bed. Get about 8 hours of good sleep daily to deliver good in your exams. Sleep deprivation can come particularly during exam time. If you experience concern beyond control, consult a health care expert for appropriate advice.
Physical alertness complements mental attentiveness. Spend few minutes regularly for exercising and playing mind games. Walk, cycle, swim play or do anything which exercises your body. Concentrate on systematic problem-solving techniques. Energize your mind to prepare for the coming days. All the efforts may turn futile if you become sick and succumb to physical demands.
Adopt productive study strategy
The quality of study you do is more important than the quantity. You can score well by being confident of what you study. The way of studying is crucial to retaining and representing the content. Reciting and writing can help you remember better. Discuss the subject with others, like you do in group discussions. Role play can also yield fruitfully.
A map or a diagram can relate and associate many topics to help you grab the content in an effective way. Be your own judge and assess yourself by revising the content, instead of relying on others. Visual representation of ideas (done through word map and graphic organizer) can encourage analytical skills. By providing concreteness to abstract information, you can relate topics and facilitate easy retrieval.
Revision is critical to preparation. Never surpass it to save time. Prepare a timetable to specify sometime for revision. Compensate the time you spend enjoying (like watching Television). Remember to give your best to leave no scope for regret and guilt.
Take help from family and friends
Exam is a crucial time when you need to rely on close associates. You realize that though you are not ill, you need special attention and care. Family support can elevate your confidence level to energize and rejuvenate the effort. There should be someone to monitor your meals, relaxation, study, play, etc. Close associates can relieve the exam stress as much by their actions as their words.
Distractions should be kept to minimum. Any important event should be postponed for some time to help prepare with better concentration. Keep checks not to harm you while playing (or doing any other thing) requiring medical attention.
You can visit your University Counselor for support and assistance. Consider the entire world around you as caretaker. Seek help without hesitance and second thought.
Relaxation and social living
Exams should not be considered the end of the world. Although you need a competent strategy to surpass the stress and emerge successfully, by no means the process should be considered overwhelming. One of the vital elements when dealing with exam stress is relaxation. Relieving tension energizes you to start fresh with enhanced effect.
Relaxation can come from diverse sources depending on individual preferences. Music, watching the favorite movie, hot bath etc. can be relaxing. Humor is also relaxing and comforting.
You need to keep your social life going to avoid excessive pressure from building up. While entering the exam venue, refrain from catching anxiety. It can disturb your concentration and deteriorate performance.
