We have to attend many tests and examinations throughout both our educational and professional lives.
But often we get too overwhelmed thinking about our results and preparations due to which the overall performance gets hampered.
The strange stomach ache, uncontrollable sweating, sudden breathing difficulties, racing heart, foggy brain to fuzzy eyes, what does not occur even to the most prepared students.
These feelings aren’t that rare at all. All of us have experienced these at least once in our lifetime.
More often than anticipated, test anxiety ruins the final grades. That’s why we need to find effective ways to convert our panic to power, and ace the tests.
It is true that exams can never be something very exciting for the examinees but at least it should not be terrifying for them.
So tension not my fellow test-takers, here are 5 tips which are effective strategies which can be opted to conquer the test anxiety and performing at the peak:
Preparation is key.
Tip – 1 : Master the Syllabus
The best weapon to fight test anxiety is to be fully prepared for the examination.
The examinee should be knowledgeable on the whole syllabus and also the possible types of questions which might appear on the question.
In this case, students need to leave procrastination and start the preparation in advance.
They can make a study routine on what topics to finish within how much time, organise the study materials on the basis of importance, decluttering of the study station and clearing away any distractions.
Tip – 2 : Practice, Practice and Practice
Needless to say that practice makes a man perfect. Practising something repeatedly not only boosts the solving skill, but also increases the confidence of the individual.
Students get familiarised with the format and difficulty level of the actual exam by doing so.
When a pre-practiced question is encountered in the test, the students become confident to attempt that question.
This mental strength does half of the job resulting in the best outcome.
Keeping one’s cool on the test day is mandatory.
Tip – 3 : Pre-test Relaxation Techniques
One needs to keep their whole nervous system calm before the exam and also during the exam.
Deep breathing exercise is the best tool for calming one’s nerves. This helps to control the heart beat and blood pressure of the body.
The adrenaline rush is highly associated with the mental relaxation of an individual. That’s why all the negative thoughts need to be disposed of as those can exacerbate test anxiety.
Students have to suppress their negative thoughts under positive affirmation.
Instead of thinking about all the possible failures which might be encountered during the exam, students must only think about the positive things, such as, how good their preparation is or what vacation is awaiting after the exams etcetera.
Students have to visualise them confidently taking an examination in this regard.
Tip – 4 : Maintaining Healthy Lifestyle
Many students tend to avoid sleeping and eating healthy during the exam seasons. Most of them are procrastinators, studying the whole night before the exam date.
This is surely a bad practice. Students should not keep any unattended topics for the day before the exam. Rather they should relax the previous night, getting a full night’s sleep and eating as healthy as possible.
If the health of the students remains stable, the pre-test jitters can do nothing to them. Hydration is also a major part.
Students should keep a water bottle handy which will keep them hydrated throughout the test.
Tip – 5 : Exam Answering Strategies
Students have to be familiar with the various strategies which have to be applied for the most optimal outcome.
Time management, prioritising specific questions to answer, arriving at the exam hall early and reading all the instructions clearly are some of the fundamental strategies to be applied.
They can take help from their teachers, seniors or peers to identify the best strategies which are applicable for them.
Lastly, students always need to keep one thing in mind, which is, this is just another test. One test grade cannot determine the path of our entire life.
The world will not end if one exam does not go our way. So just stay calm, apply the tips, and take the test. It doesn’t matter if we ace the exam or not; not every test in our life is meant to be aced.
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Writer
Rifah Zakiah
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE