Exam Times: How to manage?

So the examinations are approaching. The students and their parents are on the edge. Of course, you must have prepared well for the exams, so don’t worry! (You can read Exams: How to prepare well?)

Here are a few essential tips to manage these exam times well.

Managing Exam Stress

Many students get stressed when the exams are approaching. A few things can prove helpful for them.

1. Overall positive attitude
2. Taking regular short breaks during studies
3. Switching off – time: During the breaks, try to switch off the mind totally from thoughts of examination and studies. Taking a short walk in fresh air, listening to soothing music, watching a favourite TV show or simply having a fun-chat (No exam or study talk!) with a friend are some ways of recharging the tired mind. Just be sure that this break-time is not encroaching on the study-time!
4. Relaxation techniques – Yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises
5. Power-naps: Taking a short nap of 20-30 minutes following a particularly heavy study-session can be useful.
6. Avoid the company of pessimists and nay-sayers!

Staying healthy for the exams

1. Consult your doctor and make sure that the vaccinations are up to date. Flu and Chickenpox vaccines are particularly important in this regard.
2. Reducing general risk of infections: Avoid visits to crowded places; limit eating out in restaurants and avoid eating cold refrigerated items during the run-up to examinations. This will help in reducing risk of colds, flus and gastrointestinal infections.
3. Maintaining a good sleep routine. Having at least 7-8 hour sleep at a stretch is ideal. Some students study better late in the nights and some in the early morning. The sleep timings should be adjusted accordingly.
4. Balanced diet:
5. Rather than having heavy lunches or dinners, which tend to make the individual sleepy in their aftermath, it is better to divide the daily food intake into around 5-6 smaller meals (Breakfast, Mid-day snack, Lunch, Mid-afternoon snack, Dinner, Post-dinner snack). This ensures more even energy distribution throughout the day.
6. No food fads or fancy diets.
7. Avoid or limit the so-called ‘Fast foods’ or ‘Fun foods’ such as biscuits, cakes, desserts, pastries, soft drinks; high fat snack items such as crisps, pies, pasties, sausage rolls and other takeaways; lollypops and chocolates.
8. Simple home-cooked food with recommended portions of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean white meats, low fat dairy products and plant oils is the best choice.
9. Consume at least 6-8 glasses of water per day to keep the body well-hydrated.

• Regular physical activity will improve physical fitness as well as ensure mental freshness. Walking, jogging or any exercise routine will be good choices. Minimum 30 minutes a day is the recommendation for such activity.

On the examination day

1. Get good sleep and wake up refreshed.
2. Get ready at least 2 hours ahead of the examination time.
3. Reach the examination hall at least 45 minutes before the paper begins.
4. When the question papers are distributed, first check the total number of questions and pages.
5. Assess the difficulty level and the expected writing time for each question.
6. Try and finish each answer within that expected time-frame.
7. Write the easier and shorter questions first and keep the more complex and longer questions for later.
8. Try and keep at least 15 minutes for final review of your answers.
9.  Check whether you have numbered the answers and the sections correctly.
10. Tie-up the answer-sheets and check if the examination number (or other identification details) are correctly mentioned as per the rules.