Acid test

Usha Albuquerque

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It is that time of the year - exam time - which brings anxiety to practically every student ! Any examination brings with it heightened emotions and pressure - to secure good marks, to get into the next class, to qualify for admissions to college. Such stress is natural. But for those appearing for Class X and XII Board exams such fears are more keenly felt. Board exams are occasion for critical academic evaluation, and at such time one of the biggest fears of a student is that their mind will go blank and they will suddenly forget everything they know in the exam hall. It is the stuff of nightmares, but fortunately, highly unlikely to happen, if you have prepared well for the exams. 

With just a few weeks remaining for the start of the exams, here are some tips to help you ensure you utilise this time well, and boost your concentration and motivation, so as to ward off those nasty pre-exam nightmares!

Be organised

Students stressed out with long hours of study often end up with cluttered working space with unfiled notes here, there and everywhere, books and clothes all over the place and a feeling of no time to clean up. All of these spell disaster for your ability to recall facts in the exam room. So, start by getting yourself organised. Tidy your room, or whichever space you're using for studying. Get your notes organised neatly into different subjects. Bringing about order in your environment has the strange effect of doing the same to the mind, making you far better able to cope with memorising and recalling facts.

Sort out your subject material

If you haven't already got your subject material well sorted out, this is the time to do it so that you can sail smoothly through each subject when required. A large part of the stress of approaching exams, is the sense that there is an overwhelming amount of information to learn in an ever-dwindling period of time. Getting all your material together makes it easier to find what you need while you're studying, and revision time is utilised more efficiently. Once you have your notes in order, make a study plan according to the number of days left for your state exam and try to cover all the topics you have listed.

Revising study material

After a whole year, or two years of concentrated study many students reach a point where they are just fed up of studying.  I am sure you can think of a hundred different things you would rather do than go through another couple of weeks consumed entirely with the business of study. When the classic study tips seem totally redundant and unable to chivvy you on, it is the time to consider new and different ideas for study. 

Here are some: 

Set yourself questions

In subjects that require memorising large amount of text,  such as history, economics, psychology, or biology, you can make learning active by turning information into questions. Break down a chapter into sections of roughly 500 words, and for each part, write out five questions that you would ask if you were the examiner. Next, write out the answers. Work on this carefully so that it covers the important elements of each topic. 

Make up stories

Another learning trick is to break the information down and make up a story linking together each piece of information. For example, if you need to memorise a complicated chemical formula, you could name the molecules with names of people or cartoon characters, and weave a story of actions which mirror characteristics of the molecules in the formula. This can help bring a little life to a dry subject and make it easier to relate to.

A good night's sleep

Make sure that you do not lose out on your sleep. You must make it a point to get at least seven - eight hours of sleep every night, and try to maintain a regular sleep pattern.  Sleep helps your brain to assimilate new knowledge into your long-term memory so that you can recall it when it comes to test day. If you have been a night owl all these months, it is time to get back to the daytime schedule. Remember that your exams will be held, most often in the morning hours, 10am to 1 pm, and these are the hours you have to be at peak performance. So make sure that the last couple of weeks before your exam, you return to your normal body clock hours. This will enable you to be at your physical best when needed - during exam hours. 

Physical exercise

Physical exercise is also given short shrift when exams approach. But regular exercise boosts concentration. Learn to do regular deep breathing every day —this will come in very handy if you should get a sudden panic attack during the examination.

Moreover, days, weeks and months spent at a desk studying for an exam with no distractions or social interaction are bad for morale, efficiency and concentration. So go ahead, take a break, for an hour or two every day, meet friends, take a jog, do some exercise at the gym, and return to your books, refreshed and invigorated.

Eat well and eat right 

Eat smaller frequent meals to ensure a steady stream of energy and have a calming effect on the brain. Stay away from junk food. It is useful to know that antioxidants like vitamin A, E and C and Omega 3 fatty acids found in foods like eggs, carrots, brocolli, fish, daals, whole wheat, green leafy vegetables and fruits nourish your brain and aid memory and learning. 

Stay positive and be confident of your goals.

Practice with mock tests 

Set aside time at least once every week to take timed tests. Solve previous papers, as if they were the actual Board tests - the entire three hours, no disturbance, no breaks. The sample papers will help you get an idea about the actual question papers, and also strategise your exam and manage time in an organised manner. Work out how you've scored and where you've gone wrong. Notice the topics that get repeated, often in slightly altered form from paper to paper; working on them will help you improve and work faster each time. 

Develop your own study strategies

There might be other techniques that work better for you. Ask your teachers and friends - find out what they do, get other ideas - maybe some other tricks will work for you too.

Study phases of no more than 45 mins 

Plan for 3-5 study phases for each day. Each of these should be of 45-minute duration, with short breaks of 10 minutes in between. Attention span for most students does not extend beyond one hour at a time. Also regular breaks will freshen the mind and relieve stress. During the break stretch your limbs, have a drink or snack, listen to music, sing, dance, or simply meditate.  At such times, avoid TV, films, chatting, long phone calls, even social media unless absolutely necessary - all this tires your brain.