The books, the tuitions and the endless hours of studying; exam time can be highly stressful for both the students and the parents alike. Yet there are tactics and tips to help your son or daughter ease through their exams and help you to relax also. As HEALTH investigates.
The Tips For Exam-Goers
According to Dr. Valeria Risoli, a clinical psychologist, learning to be calm and less stressed is an ability that children and parents should work on in general from the early years and then practice during exams time. “In general, being more organized and able to manage time more functionally can help children be more effective and reach challenging goals with less stress,” she says. Here are the tips:
Organize your work and plan wisely before the exams. Do not wait until the last minute to study. This can help you learn better, remember the material and feel more confident for your exam.
Recognize and acknowledge your limits but always focus on your strengths.When you panic about an exam you tend to be negative and focus on your academic weaknesses. Try instead to be objective when you evaluate yourself.
Don’t be perfectionist and remember that no one is perfect. Be happy with what you have done and studied and stop thinking: “I could have studied more. I should have done better”.
Do not compare yourself with anyone else. Avoid calling your friends to discuss the exams. This does not help you but it actually
reinforces the anxiety and negative thinking
Be positive and repeat to yourself that one exam is only one exam after all. If you studied, it will go well. If not, it will be a chance
to understand why it did not go well. Perhaps you studied in the wrong way or perhaps you have panicked too much. Don’t be desperate, you will have the chance to learn from your mistakes and improve for the next time!
Take some time to relax. The best way to reinforce your knowledge and recall what you studied when you need it is to relax.
Always remember that the way you feel is not real. The fear of not succeeding does not necessarily mean that you will not succeed. In fact, remind yourself of every past exam that you were scared of but that you successfully completed!
Visualize a positive outcome with “Everything will be okay. I will get a good result” instead of being pessimistic with ‘“I will fail. I
studied so hard but I feel it will not go well”.
It is also very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and routine. Healthy diet, good habits, enough sleep are the basic ingredients for a successful performance in exams and in life. Your mind can function better if your body is relaxed and healthy.
Never give up! Go and do your best! Even during an exam you find difficult, do not stop. Just answer to what you know and
do not feel bad about it.
Remember, after an exam you deserve a reward. Dr. Risoli advises to do something that you like with your friend or your family because you have done a great job, regardless of the result to come.
