Pankaj Kumar Singh shares a few tips that can help students fight exam stress
Being a part of the educational sector, you come across thousands of students who appear for board examination. Only some pass it with flying colours and a few with the feeling of satisfaction. As you move ahead in life and become more experienced, the count of these examinations keeps on increasing. However, there is one thing that stays constant in most of students — the fear of board and competitive examination. Parents, relatives, neighbours and even teachers have already made a fuss about it. These exams have always been a self-proclaimed ‘acid test’ for students to prove their mettle. So it is very natural to have the element of fear. It’s just an emotion like any other. But they cannot let this feeling overpower their minds, which later, can affect their results. It’s a fact that even extraordinary students perform badly if they are under pressure. Students may not acknowledge it but exams can trigger stress, which stops them from putting their best foot forward. Hence, it’s important to address the issue and get it back under control. But the question is that ‘How can they overcome the fear?’ Well, here are a few tips which can help fight the exam fever:
Talk: Students must talk about their fear with family and friends. Ask them how did they do it, how did they manage? They will tell you their experiences, which can help you in reducing the fear factor. Spending good time with them can make you relaxed.
Listen to music: They say music is an expressive therapeutic tool that can help students improve their physical and mental health. It relaxes the mind and has a functional effect on the brain. So take time out and listen to your favourite song.
Do activities: Exam doesn’t mean that you stop doing your favourite activity. Dance on the beats you want to, cook if you like, play your favourite game or start doodling. Doing things you love are the best stress busters. But don’t get too involved.
Minimise the usage of Mobile phone: Phones keep you busy for longer hours. Children are addicted to their phones. Parents must monitor the usage. Sacrificing your phone for a few days will not harm you. Experts suggest no screens for at least one hour before bedtime, so consider having your child turn in their phone in the evening.
Practise: You panic when you don’t know things. So try to learn before hand and revise. Practise last five year question papers. They give you a clear vision about the pattern of the exam paper and the weightage of each chapter. Practice them thoroughly and the board exams will not be a shock for you.
Motivate Yourself: “Nothing is impossible, even the word impossible says ‘I m possible’. Keep this quote in mind and you can touch the skies. Put motivating play cards and posters in your room or near you study table. Whenever your eyes will go through it, you will be filled with positivity. And yes, this actually works.
Don’t let expectations exert pressure: Your parents or your well wishers always want you to do your best. They want a bright future for you. But don’t let these expectations to turn in unwanted pressure. Do things at your pace.
Balanced Diet: Diet also becomes an important aspect during exams. Eating more sweets and oily things will make you sleepy and can also lead to acidity. It can make you restless. So eat right and stay fit. Drink some herbal tea or a hot chocolate. It’s a well known fact that hot drinks are known to soothe the soul (avoid too much caffeine).
Don’t worry about the results: Results are important but it does not decide your future. While preparing for exams never think about the results. Just concentrate on your preparation process. Scoring good or low marks can never give you the assurance of success.
Last Day, Last Minute: Don’t read new things at the last moment instead revise the ones on which you have good command already. Make short notes and write important formulas on a paper and just quickly go through it before the exam. Always try and reach before time on the day of exam.
Remember, this is not the first exam you have given and it wouldn’t be the last one. Chris Hardwick has once said, “No human ever became interesting by not failing. The more you fail and recover and improve, the better you are as a person. Ever meet someone who’s always had everything work out for them with zero struggle? They usually have the depth of a puddle. Or they don’t exist.” So, it does not matter if you fail, all that matters is the courage of trying.
(The author is the Managing Director of Cambridge Montessori Preschool.)