Every year, students worldwide spend months worrying about upcoming exams, deadlines and finals. Here's how to avoid becoming one of the many students who let their worries and stress get the better of them.
Plan Ahead for Studying
It sounds simple, but one of the most common mistakes made by students is to leave everything until the last minute. If you've worked hard throughout the year, then you will be as prepared as possible – but even then, if you only start studying the day before the exam then your brain will only be able to process so much at once. Start revising early, and then by the time you've got two days to go until the exam, you'll feel like you know most of your material already, instead of starting your panic at that point.
Get Some Sleep
Many students survive on energy drinks, coffee and late nights during exam periods. The truth is, however, that your brain is much more likely to remember something you read or write while it is alert and awake; caffeine products are good for meeting deadlines, but when it comes to exams and revision, you'll need to be well-rested if you're going to remember it all.
Minimise Everything
One of the most effective ways to revise, particularly if you have large blocks of information to remember, is to summarise your notes in smaller and smaller forms. Start by reducing your notes to a few sides of size A4 paper; then condense that until you can fit it onto one side of A4, and from there you should be able to produce several small revision cards based around specific topics. Your brain gets confused by massive blocks of text and information – short notes will provide markers to allow your brain to access the rest of the information you already know.
It's important to realise that during exam period, you're not the only one stressing about your exams. Talk to friends, family or staff about any worries you may have – not only will you feel better about it as they sympathise, but they may be able to suggest new ideas for revision techniques, or even spend time helping you with a difficult topic.
Believe in Yourself
It's sometimes easy during exam periods, particularly if you're not overly confident about the material in question, to approach life with a sense of impending doom. While you're not guaranteed to pass every exam you ever take just by thinking positively, if you're in a negative mindset going into an exam then you will become easily frustrated, and it will become harder to remember what you've learned. You always know more than you think!
What's The Worst That Could Happen?
If you find yourself approaching an exam with the idea that you're not going to do very well, then when all else fails, ask yourself the question – "what's the worst that could happen?". Often, individual exams for students don't mean much in themselves, and overall performance is what matters. If you approach each exam with a relaxed attitude, knowing that your life isn't ruined if you fail, you will be far less stressed and far more likely to remember your material.
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