Students and parents are attempting to complete last-minute revisions and manage their stress levels as the CBSE exams, which begin on February 15, draw near. Before exams, students are under a lot of pressure to perform well, which puts them in a difficult situation where they have no choice but to achieve excellent marks. However, this comes with its own set of pressures and stresses.
FPJ spoke with Mumbai-based psychiatrist Dr. Deepanjali Deshmukh, Child Psychiatrist to assist students, and she gave some advice on how to maintain mental relaxation.
Here are few tips to deal with exam stress:
Before exams
Coping statements:
Find out what you can tell yourself if you feel anxious during exams. For eg: “If I feel nervous, I can try calm breathing.”
“I have faced many exams before; I know how to handle it.”
Positive self-talk:
Never forget to being kind to yourself, instead of thinking “I am going to mess up or fail” try saying “I am strong enough to do this test, I have studied enough.”
Ask for help: talk about your anxiety issues to your parents and teachers let them know what is troubling you.
Practice focused breathing.
Get some kind of exercise every day: Choose any kind of exercise which you enjoy, but physical activity is must.
Get good night’s sleep: This is one of the very important things that we should remember.
Being adequately prepared for the exam is the most effective strategy for alleviating exam anxiety.
Maintain a positive mindset both while studying for the exam and during the exam itself.
Distribute your study sessions across several days or weeks, consistently reviewing subject materials instead of cramming everything the night before.
Give adequate time for revision of the topics you know, rather than reading new topics at this time.
Practice: Practice solving past exam papers and see if you can keep time.
During Exams:
Be on time
Confirm and cross check if you have taken everything needed like hall ticket, pen, pencil etc. Know what are prohibited items in exam halls, and avoid carrying them to centre itself.
Carefully read and comprehend the instructions provided. If you have any doubt about instructions clarify immediately with the invigilators.
Quickly scan through the test to gauge how to manage your time effectively. Reserve some time for review as well.
Remain calm; if you start feeling nervous, take slow, deep breaths to relax before resuming your work.
Begin with the easier questions to bolster your confidence before tackling the more challenging ones.
Don't fret about the pace at which others complete their tests; focus solely on your own. Focus solely on writing your own exam paper.
If you're unsure about a question, skip it temporarily (return to it later if time permits), and remember that perfection isn't necessary to perform well on the test.
After exam paper:
If you have paper next day don’t spend time discussing and thinking about today’s paper. You can analyse your whole performance after whole exam is finished.
Don't spend time with classmates who generate stress for you on exam day.
If you have gap between papers spend some time on any activity that you enjoy eg: singing, drawing, sports etc.
Plan your Gap Day in detail and allocate appropriate time for relaxing as well as for studying.
Avoid excessive screen use
