Examination stress is an unfortunate part of life for many in school. It is experienced before, during, or after an examination. Students getting ready for exams often feel a lot of pressure, which can result in nervousness and anxiety.
While a small amount of pressure or stress can be motivational,if left untreated, examination stress can affect the students’ performance.
Here are some Tips on avoiding Examination stress
Revise well before the examination. Make sure your schedule provides for sufficient revision time. As any good test-taker will tell you, the revisions are more important than the first time study.
Avoid distraction or negative people. People are a definite distraction, especially those with a negative outlook. If people are walking through your study area, you are much more likely to engage in conversation. Studying in a library provides peace and concentration.
Keep attending lectures. Do not miss classes just because you need more time to prepare for the exams.The topics covered during the last week are also very important and you may not need to give a lot of extra effort for them if you have attended the lectures.
Be prepared for your examination. Develop a method for studying the notes you take in class, as they often form the backbone of most examinations. If you wait until the day before the test to read your notes, it will be impossible to retain that information. Read your notes after you take them, again the same night, and study the week’s notes over the weekend. The repeated effort will help you remember the material, so you will be ready when exam time comes around.
Discuss with classmates who are better than you in a subject. You will have less trouble and no stress when it comes to exams.
Get plenty of sleep. It’s way more stressful to memorize lots of information or comprehend complicated concepts on less than 6 hours sleep.
Exercise. Physical exercise like running, jogging, skipping for 15-20 minutes everyday will make you feel stress free and mentally fit.
Relax on the day of the examination. As you will be devoting your energy and time in studying and preparing for upcoming examinations, it is very necessary to give sufficient time for relaxation. Feel happy and think positive and keep cool.
Take care of yourself in the time before the exam. Get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, drink enough water, and be sure to take a break once in a while- so that you don’t have to rely on sugar and caffeine in order to get through a study session.