How to survive exam weeks?

Ketan (STUDENT) (1869 Points)

02 December 2013  


Do you find yourself panicking when you have
several exams to take in a short period? Do you
feel a lot more stress during mid-terms and finals?
If so, then the following suggestions should prove
useful.
DEALING WITH TENSION. Expect a certain amount
of tension. It is normal during an exam period.
Actually a little anxiety helps to heighten your
awareness and can enhance your performance.
TAKE TIME TO RELAX. Cope with your excess
tension before and between exams through rest,
exercise and deep muscle relaxation. For example,
long walks and bike rides are excellent ways to
release nervous energy and maintain your stamina
for the duration of your exam period.
ANXIETY IS CONTAGIOUS. Keep away from people
who are highly anxious before exams, because their
nervousness may tend to increase your own.
ALLOW SHORT PERIODS FOR REVIEW. Use the odd
moments, in the shower or walking across campus,
for recall and review. Run through the information
frequently; this will ensure that you remember it
and it will broade your understanding. ( remember
mind maps)
THE NIGHT BEFORE...As you approach the first
exam, and the time between exams,
SPEND YOUR LAST HOURS CALMLY REVIEWING
WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED. Try not to tackle new
material then.
AVOID STAYING UP ALL NIGHT. The shorter you
are on sleep the less clearly you will be able to
think and write what you know on the exam.
CRAM SELECTIVELY. The night before an exam
when you are more anxious than usual is one of
the least effective times for study. Your ability to
deal with concepts and synthesize material is
greatly reduced, and even your ability to memorize
is impaired by marked anxiety. Cramming only
serves to make you more frantic about the exam
and, hence, less prepared to do your best. If you do
come up to exam time unprepared, use your last
minute studying as a review of key concepts,
instead of trying to learn it all. Be realistic about
what you can accomplish: set priorities based on
what you expect to be emphasized on the test.
Stay calm.
DON'T GO TO THE MOVIES. Don't get involved in
any activities that might either interfere with what
you have been learning or make you feel so guilty
that you come home to study far into the night to
make up for lost time.
Review and relax