After Class

When Testo-phobia Bites

Rakibul Hasan

Except for a chosen few, most students are known to dread exams. Since Facebook and hangouts leave little time for us the students, to study all through the semester, it is the eve before an exam that reminds us that we are going to be tested within a short time and scoring low may put us into a lot of trouble. That is when fear and anxiety set in. The reasons behind these fears can vary from student to student. In our society the most common reason for which students suffer from 'exam stress' is the enormous pressure from their parents and teachers to perform nothing but the best. In many cases, students who panic before exams tend to forget what they had learnt and end up with poor grades. Managing exam fear can help one stay cool and collected during exams and make the best out of it.

The following tips can help a student hit the exam room with a calm nerve.

Understanding the concepts is a better way to gain knowledge. Photo: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Avoid Cramming: One of the mistakes that many students make is that they skim through the entire book and try to cram all the information on the night before the exam. Trying to place information forcefully into one's brain will not do any good and it is very likely that one may end up confusing everything. Just revise through the topics you have learnt previously and try to understand instead of memorising and practising the garbage-in-garbage-out syndrome.

Engaging oneself in studies during examination is not always a good idea. Photo: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Get enough sleep: A lot of students choose to stay awake throughout the night to finish their studies before the exams. They prefer countless cups of tea and coffee to fight sleep. While pulling an all nighter may seem useful, it will only result in fatigue and a weak memory.

Make Time to Relax: On the other hand, students should not be sitting with text books the entire day during exams. They should allow themselves some time off to unwind. Exercises like walking, jogging or some kind of favourite sports are encouraged. Listening to music, talking to friends and family will also help one release stress. However, relaxation does not includewatching television or updating facebook statuses with your changing levels of stress.

On the day of the exam: On the day of your exam, just stay relaxed and go about your day like any other day. Try to reach the exam venue with some time to spare before the exam begins, so that you get acquainted with the ambience. Run a last minute check on the necessary documents such as your student identity card or the admit card.

During the exam: Use your time as wisely as possible. If you are not familiar with a question, then skip it and move on to the next. First attempt the questions that you are confident about. Once you are finished with the familiar questions you can go back to the difficult ones and can answer them more confidently.

The most important thing for a student before and during an exam is to stay focused. As we all know the fact that being a student, we can never get away with exams, so just build a positive attitude towards exam. Try to give your best and the rest is upto…well, your examiners,and a little bit of luck!