Exam Stress & Preparation

Exam Stress & Preparation

If Children go wrong in this direction then parents are no different too.  In fact it begins with parents. In their busy schedules they cannot plan beyond their own work and their responsibilities to ensure the comforts of their families including EMI's etc etc. In short they are more engaged in fire fighting daily challenges rather than focusing on some far reaching issues like the true empowerment of their children. 

    

They would rather bestow on the child and lull themselves into a sense of false security by engaging a tuition teacher little realizing that the grades will not and have not still improved. In fact it all works quite counterproductive as when grades are not up despite the tuition the child gets furthermore frustrated and the parents have another handle to pressurize the child more by saying that  ..'Look we hired a teacher for your studies and you still cannot get your grades up'. Undoubtedly parents should begin by getting the right hole in the shirt button for the child so that the rest of the shirt is buttoned up right. Then the child can take over. We will therefore take this Topic – ‘Dealing with exam/study related stress’ up in two parts- The Parents and The Child.

Attention Parents:

· All Children have different learning Strategies and they need to unravel and discover them with the help of the teachers and parents and at times experts like at HR Power House. If they persist with the forced learning strategies common to all students they may end up getting low grades not commensurate with their IQ levels and that would result in loss of interest and confidence in studies.

· Children are individuals who have their own dreams and they are not extension of your dreams. In short you cannot force and live your dreams through your children.

· It’s not about total number of hours one puts in a study session but how much has been absorbed when studying. Span of attention of each child is on an average about two hours at a time – its humanly impossible to sit for longer stretches. Breaks are important.

· They fear that they will lose your love in case they fail to make good grades. They tend to learn better in a free from ‘pressure to perform’ environment so assure them that their grades are not important to your love quotient for them.

· Help them manage their time better and get good rest and sleep. Ensure that they do not reschedule regular routine too much for the sake of exams.

· Last but not least Parents would do well to remember that it is only one child which can stand first and in any case it is not about ‘studying’ alone – it is ‘Learning’ in the ultimate analysis.

Attention Children

 

· Have a revision timetable – start planning well before exams begin. Have realistic goals and include breaks - make sure to get some fresh air or have the window open while studying where possible.

· Make your books, notes and essays user-friendly. Use headings, highlighting and revision cards, and get tips on other revision techniques from teachers and friends with experience of exams.

· Everyone revises differently. Find out which routine suits you the best – alone or with a friend or parent

· Ask for help from your teacher, parent or a friend if there are things you don’t understand.

· Prioritize! If you think there's too much work, and not enough time left to do it in, write down everything you need to do, and sort it into order of priority. You can then work out what action you need to take for each task, and work your way through your list. You need to take into account which topics are the most important or compulsory, which you already know best, and which you have enough information on.

· Get plenty of Sleep – your body needs time to process all the information you are taking in and re-energize, so that it is ready for the day ahead.

· Eat Healthy - avoid processed and fast food as much as possible. Try eating foods high in omega 3 as this is great brain food.

· Avoid Caffeine (e.g. coffee, caffeine tablets, Red Bull) and high sugared snacks, as these give you a short lift before making you crash and burn. They can make you feel sick and can interfere with your sleep and therefore your ability to concentrate. You actually study better with regular breaks, getting lots of sleep and from exercising.

· Avoid Cramming the night before an exam, makes sure you get a good night sleep and wake up earlier if you want to read over your notes rather than staying up late.

· Make sure you give yourself time each day to relax, taking breaks to do something you enjoy – watch TV, listen to music, read a book or go out for a walk.

On the day of the exam:

· Have a good breakfast – as you need fuel to concentrate!

· Make sure you know when the exam is being held and what time it starts. Give yourself plenty of time to get there.

· Take all the equipment you need for each exam, including extra pens and pencils. Also take a bottle of water, a snack and tissues.

· Go to the toilet beforehand!

· Avoid people who are stressing out, find a quiet corner and read over your notes.

· If you feel really anxious, breathe slowly and deeply while waiting for the exam to start.

Pace yourself

· Read the instructions before starting the exam.

· Ask the teacher or exam supervisor if anything is unclear.

· Read through all the questions before starting writing, and make sure you are clear how many questions you are required to answer. Read front and back of the exam sheet!!!!

· If there is a choice, start by answering the question you feel you can answer best.

· If you are stuck on a question, go on to the next. You can always come back to it later. If you are really stuck, try to have an intelligent guess anyway. Never leave a blank page if at all possible!!!!

· Leave time to read through and check your answers before the exam finishes.

· After the exam - Don’t go through the answers afterwards with your friends if it is only going to make you more worried and you can’t change it now. Do discuss the exam with your parents and teachers though.

What to do if you feel Stressed?

A little anxiety is not a bad thing if it acts as a motivation to prepare properly and to tackle the task with a determined approach. However if you feel like it is getting overwhelming or you are starting to panic here are a few tips.

· Talk about your problems – Don’t Bottle them up! Discussing your problems can be a great relief and can often provide solutions you wouldn't necessarily come up with on your own. Sometimes, people under stress don't want to talk about their problems because they are afraid of being overwhelmed or losing control of their emotions. But talking to a family and friends can help you to express and deal with those feelings. It can lead you to understand why you feel as you do, and find the means to do something about it. Please remember some schools and colleges have their own counseling services so please don’t be afraid to avail of these services. Talking about your problems is a sign of strength – not Weakness!!

  

· Breathing techniques: Stress can make you start breathing with quick, shallow breaths and make your heart beat faster than usual. If this happens, sit down somewhere comfortable, if possible. Place one hand on your stomach and check how quickly you are breathing. If it’s one breath every couple of seconds, take a deep breath and start counting steadily. Breathe out slowly and try to get the last of the breath out on about five seconds. Carry on doing this until you are doing it naturally.

  

· Exercise: Regular exercise is an excellent way of coping with stress. As little as 10 or 20 minutes a day spent walking, cycling, or at the gym can make a big difference. And I know it is the last thing you want to do after a long day at school but this is the best time to do 30mins of exercise – It will re-energize the brain and body and you will find it easier to focus when you start studying.

Most importantly – Remember that the exams are not the be all and end all!! There is the bigger picture so focus on that. Prepare well, study to the best of your ability so that once you come out of the exam hall you can say ‘I done my best and what will be will be!’ hold your head up high and go enjoy the summer.

Best Of Luck  - Uncle Teen HR Power House