We all know that exam days are one of the most stressful periods for students in school. Especially with the increasing pressure from society, high school students these days are facing serious challenges.
Therefore, in this article, I’d love to share some key tips that actually worked for me in coping with exam stress!
Now, it is particularly important to when and what your exams are about, so the best thing you can do to guarantee performance and organization is you get an idea of when your exams will be, what subjects they are for, and when class starts revising, what you can expect to be tested on in the exam.
For me, ensuring I knew when my exams were well in advance meant I was able to plan, prepare, and begin revising.
So, once you know your exam dates, you can begin taking the next steps - it can be hard to not get anxious when you realize that exams are coming onto you like an impending doom, however, placing them in the future and treating them as something to work towards and prepare for will ensure that you are less stressed and better prepared.
You hopefully know when your key exam dates are at this point, and so from there, you will be able to create a study timetable that best suits you! You would still have classes, friends, and family to work around this timetable, however as the exam period nears, it will become increasingly important you allocate time toward studying.
There is no rigid amount of time that you should allocate towards studying each subject, however, the amount of time you do decide to spend on a subject should be dependent on how much content you need to revise and most importantly how comfortable you feel with the content in the lead up to exam day.
Your overarching goal in preparing for an exam is ensuring that you are comfortable with the subject content and that you are most prepared for what is to come on exam day.
Now, it's time to study, and you may be wondering where to start. Well, it may help recap what your current knowledge is on each subject you are studying for and focus extra time on concepts and content that you haven’t fully wrapped your head around.
Revision shouldn’t just be all about rereading content, and should also be made up of actively testing yourself on relevant material that you are likely to see in the exam.
It includes actively engaging with the content through strategies like:
1. Recapping current knowledge in each subject area.
2. Focusing on challenging concepts that need more attention.
3. Active recall (testing yourself on key material).
4. Using timed study periods and breaks for efficient learning.
The goal is to ensure that what’s studied is not just passively absorbed but actively retained and understood.
Lastly, but most importantly..
It is easy, especially in the pursuit of academic perfection to pressure yourself to do well, that is perfectly normal, however the pursuit of the best grade possible should never be at the expense of your mental and physical well-being. The steps above I assure will be useful, but only so if you execute them with balance in mind.
Be sure to eat well, drink plenty of water, exercise, and continue your usual routine only with the addition of needing to revise for upcoming exams. It may feel overwhelming and as if your entire future hinges on how you perform in these exams, although I assure you that is far from the case, and you should just do your best.
Be sure to lean on those around you for support during exams - friends, family, teachers, and counselors, as they undoubtedly will be there to support you and assist you with valuable guidance and resources.
Never be afraid or too prideful to reach out for help, it isn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of proactivity and courage, particularly if you are feeling pressured or even if you are stumped on a specific part of a subject. Seize the resources that are available to you, lean on those around you, and create a study group if that's your thing!
I hope these small but vital steps help you pave a path towards acing your exams!
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