At some point in our lives, we’ve all had that one period where we’d rather drop out of school and go live on a hill far away than give exams. This spiral of exam anxiety has made us all question: Is this test really more important than getting two more hours of sleep?
Nail-biting, fidgeting, fear of failure, blanking out – we’ve all been there.
There is no cut-to-cut method of studying that works uniformly for everyone because every person has a different capacity to learn and retain.
So while there isn’t a solid list of things that everyone can do, here’s a list of things that you shouldn’t do in order to beat the exam fever.
1. OVERCAFFEINATING
We instinctively tend to reach out for caffeinated drinks like coffee, coke, energy drinks, etc as our companion for the all-nighters.
While they squeeze in an extra hour or two, they don’t really help much in the long run as they cause lethargy, inability to concentrate, and irregular sleep patterns.
You can instead try 9-minute power naps, taking a quick shower, or study with a group. This will help you keep fresh and redirect your concentration towards studying, without harming your health.
2. PROCRASTINATION
The mere mention of studying can provoke fear, anxiety, and stress amongst students and they get pushed into the spiral of Procrastination.
Studying can be overwhelming but putting it off only leads to mindless mugging up and overworking yourself at the last minute.
Studying and giving exams is inevitable. One must not delay the process and instead start with topics that are familiar or subjects that interest you. This gives you a good head start and easily glides you through your study routine.
3. FEARING OTHER PEOPLES’ VIEWS
It’s only human to dwell upon how the world will react to your results. We start studying out of fear and under apprehensions, which is very unhealthy and results in our minds retaining nothing at all. Thus it’s important to let the views of other people become white noise and focus only on our own selves. Your gains are only going to benefit you; not the rest of the world.
4. BLAMING YOURSELF
We must stray our minds from thoughts like “I am not doing enough”, which generates self-doubt and feelings of failure.
Instead, we must keep ourselves motivated and focused, directing all our positive energies towards studying.
5. CUTTING OUT ON BREAKS
“All work, no play makes Sam a dull boy” and this is particularly true in the case of studying.
Breaking through the monotony and occasionally pampering ourselves with breaks or outings can help bring change to an otherwise boring routine. It can also recharge you with greater zeal to study.
6. RELYING TOO MUCH ON TUITIONS
While taking tuitions and extra classes is the new way to go, chasing between multiple classes leaves students with very little time to practice, revise, and internalize what they learned.
This creates an undue reliance on tuitions and takes the focus away from self-study when it should be the other way round.
7. OVERPLANNING
Sometimes we get so tied up in creating elaborate plans in preparation to study, that we leave very little time for actual execution. This creates a variance between where we are and where we want to be, and we have to redo the plans.
To escape this spiral, one must work with a balanced approach and devote an optimal amount of time to making plans, leaving us with an ample duration to fulfill them.
8. SETTING UNREALISTIC GOALS
Being over-ambitious and setting targets above one's capacity is a common mistake made by many. Failing to achieve one’s set targets creates dissatisfaction and demotivates students.
Setting smaller and achievable targets can help accelerate the studying speed and keep you motivated.
9. BINGE EATING
Indulging in unnecessary binge eating, in place of a break, is very common malpractice among students. A balanced diet is very crucial for your physical and mental health, and eating junk food or ready-to-eat items disrupts both.
Students can easily trade junk food for healthier alternatives like dry fruits, fox nuts, fruits, boiled eggs, etc.
And remember the most important thing: Grades don't define you.
All the best!
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