How students can prepare for success on the day of their exam?

As Shakespeare rightly puts it, ‘doubts are traitors’, and they hold a person back from realising their full potential. They hinder you from focusing on what is important and deviate your concentration from the task at hand. 

Every student has moments of apprehension before exams. As the last few hours before the exam tick by, the feeling of uncertainty looms large in your mind. You doubt if you have covered all the topics and fear that you will go blank on seeing the question paper. These thoughts, coupled with the immense pressure to live up to the high expectations of your parents, make the entire process of writing exams even more dreadful. 

You must be wondering if this situation can be changed for the better. 

Yes, it can be. You need to find the best ways to maximise your learning during the revision time and keep stress at bay. Here are a few such simple tips that will help you use the final hours before the exam to their best effect. 

• Eat nutritious breakfast: It is important to have a nutritious breakfast before your exams. This will improve your concentration and memory during the course of the morning. Furthermore, research indicates that people who eat a proper meal in the morning are less emotionally distressed and have lower levels of stress. 
• Arrive at the exam centre early: Running late for your exams can magnify the stress already felt by you. So, try to reach the exam centre early so that you have plenty of time in hand before entering the examination hall. This will also help calm your nerves and approach the exam confidently. 
• Avoid people who stress you out: If you feel too stressed out on the day of your exam, think of someone who makes you feel calm and confident. You can actively seek them out and have a brief talk with them before the exam commences. On the day of the exam, avoid the company of people who are particularly negative or stress you out. 
• Remember to acknowledge your hard work: Take some time to reflect on the hours of hard work you have put into preparing for the exam. This can be a great way to boost your confidence and approach your impending exam with ease. 
• Stick to your exam strategy: When you spend a lot of time preparing and revising for exams, it would be a mistake to attribute your performance to chance. So, focus less on what grade you may get and more on the execution of your exam strategy. This will mean the amount of time you will spend on reading every question and deciding on the time you will take to answer them. Moreover, making some rough notes before answering the long questions will be really helpful. 
• Seek advice: Last but not least, seek the help of your teacher and devise an effective exam tactic. They will certainly have some helpful advice for you. 

All the best! 
Image source: The Guardian