You may want to give some exams more study time than others, so find a balance that you feel comfortable with.
You can work so hard to study large quantities of information for an exam, but if you don’t prepare yourself mentally and physically before that exam, all that hard work can sadly go to waste.
“Even very ordinary people, upon closer examination, can often look extraordinary.” – Holly Hunter
Here are some tips for taking exams:
1. Organize study groups with friends:
Get together with friends for a study session. You may have questions that they have the answers to and vice versa. As long as you make sure you stay focused on the topic for an agreed amount of time, this can be one of the most effective ways to challenge yourself.
2. Ask for help:
Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers for help – they’ll be glad to assist.
People you can talk to about exams include:
- teachers
- lecturers
- family members
- friends and fellow students.
3. Deal with your stress:
Exam stress is perfectly normal – in fact, a little bit of stress can be a positive motivator. However, too much of it can negatively affect your performance.
So take regular breaks, exercise daily, and spend time relaxing with friends. If you begin to feel frustrated or overwhelmed, step away from the books for a while.
4. Prep the night before:
Pack everything you need into a bag the night before – this way you can avoid a last minute rush the next day. Essential items might include pens, pencils, a calculator and water.
5. Create your own study guide:
While many teachers provide a study guide, creating your own can help you understand the material better. Outlining the important information you need to learn can be helpful, both in creation and to refer to during your studies.
6. Create a study schedule – and follow it:
Splitting the material into chucks you can actually achieve can be very beneficial. That way, you can keep track of what you’ve accomplished instead of looking at the big picture and getting overwhelmed.
7. Quiz yourself:
If you think about and create actual exam questions, you will likely become more familiar with what you need to study and, in the meantime, familiarize yourself with the type of language that will be on the exam. Draft potential exam questions and quiz yourself so that you can set expectations of what you need to focus on.
8. Teach classmates:
Learning by teaching is a method that really works! If you work with a study buddy and explain concepts to one another, you’re re-learning the material all over again. It’s a great way to reinforce what you’ve learned and help someone in the meantime!
9. Loose that Fear:
Fear and stress are one of the major factors which tend to become an obstacle in getting high percentage. One should loose all the fear and free his mind.
Approximating a certain score to achieve is beyond our control. This fact also needs to be understood by parents, who should not pressurize their children but rather boost up their confidence.
10. Sleep and eat well:
The biggest mistake students commit during exam time is that they don’t sleep and eat well. They think sleeping is a waste of time. They should believe in the fact that they need to sleep between 6-8 hours a day. They also need to take care of their diet.
11. Maintain separate notebooks for each subject:
Jot down important notes and formulae that you come across during your studies. This will help before the exams as you can just grab the subject notebook and revise the portions you want.
12. Revision:
Revise your lessons without fail. Clarify your doubts. If you have made a mistake while practicing the answers, do not worry. Learn from those mistakes.
13. Take a few deep breaths when you get stuck:
If you come across a question you’re not sure how to answer in the exam, stop for a moment and take a few deep breathes (in for the count of 3 and out for the count of 3). If you are not sure how to answer it there and then, move on to another question.
The worst thing you can do is start to panic, because as they say ‘stress makes you stupid’. You won’t be able to think clearly.
14. Break the questions down:
A great tip for any exam is to break the questions down to make sure you really understand what you’re being asked. Look for the key parts of the question. These can give you clues on how to answer it.
For example, for the question, “Explain the difference between study and revision”, you could split this question into four parts:
- Explain – give reasons to show how or why something is the way it is.
- The difference – what are the distinguishing factors between study and revision?
- Study – what is study?
- Revision- what is revision?
15. Review past exam papers:
Get your hands on any old exam papers from the subject and familiarise yourself with the structure and format. Places you can get past exam papers from include:
- your teacher or lecturer
- your school or university library
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