أرشــــــيـــف حوار الخيمة العربية

It’s THAT time of year again, when pupils across the country retreat into their bedrooms and studies, stuff their heads inside last-minute revision, and more often than not, panic as the day of reckoning draws closer.

The good news is that there are ways of reducing your stress levels—follow

1-Keep it in perspective

The most important thing to remember, especially if you think that your revision is going badly, is that failing an exam is not the end of the world. That kind of fear is one of the biggest contributors to exam stress, and is likely to have a negative impact on performance. Yes, you need to take exams seriously, but not to the extent that you become so worried about the results that you underperform on the day. Relax, and you’re much more likely to do yourself justice.

2- To sleep, perchance to dream

It sounds obvious, but make sure you get plenty of sleep throughout the revision period. Staying up late trying to cram in a few extra facts will do you no good at all, especially the night before an exam. If you’re tired, you’re much less likely to retain information, but more importantly, you’re also wearing yourself out for the next day before it’s even started!

3- Stay healthy

It’s all too easy to lapse into an unhealthy lifestyle during exam time. Many students resort to convenience food because it’s quick and easy to prepare and more often than not, they abandon their exercise programme in return for a few more precious minutes in the library. Don’t be tempted to fall into this trap—it’s a short-sighted strategy that will do you no favours in the long term. Pay attention to your body with regular exercise and nutritious meals and your mind will thank you for it.

4- Get time on your side

As any train driver will tell you, it’s essential to keep to a ti****ble, and this is just as important when it comes to revision. Ideally, you should spend some time before you start revising working out how long you’ll need to prepare yourself sufficiently for each exam. Make sure that you allot more time to the subjects that you find most difficult but vary your revision schedule on any given day to keep your mind alert and (hopefully) prevent boredom from creeping in.

5- Establish a workspace

Find a workspace that you can use throughout the revision period. This could be a desk in your bedroom, a table in the library, or even one half of the kitchen table, just as long as you and everyone in your family knows that this space is exclusively for your revision. It’s important that you choose a location where you can focus on your work. Try to eliminate distractions such as the television and radio—even a good view out of the window can interfere with the best-laid revision plans!

6- Make notes

As you revise, take some notes containing the key facts that you need to remember. For many people, the act of writing information down helps to fix it more clearly in the memory. You’ll also find that these notes will be useful if you need a last-minute run-through the day before the exam.

7- Take regular breaks

If you revise solidly for hours on end, you’ll quickly realize that mind is no longer working efficiently. Establish a revision routine that allows time for regular breaks. Concentration span varies from person to person, but as a general rule, you should try to have a ten-minute break at least every hour.

8- Be prepared

Though it's a cliché, the Boy Scouts' motto is well worth keeping in mind at exam time. The night before an exam, make sure that you are well organized for the next day. Check that your pens are working, make sure that you have spares, check the time and location of the exam, and if applicable, work out how much time you’ll need to get to the exam hall. The last thing you need on the day is the added stress of trying to borrow a pen, ruler, or compass with minutes to spare.

9- Only fools rush in

When the exam begins, spend at least ten minutes reading the paper before writing a word. If there’s a choice of questions, consider them carefully and evaluate which ones you are best prepared to answer. You should also make sure that you leave at least ten minutes at the end of the exam to read through what you have written. Put yourself in the examiner’s shoes—is what you have written legible? Does it make sense?

10- Relax…
If you find yourself getting stressed during an exam, take some deep breaths and try to think positively. Take a few moments to gather your thoughts and then look at the question again. Don’t try to “will” the answer to come—this will only make you feel more stressed. Try to stay in a relaxed frame of mind—you’ll find that your thoughts will flow much more freely.

Good luck to everyone taking exams from Lynx!

;) ;) :confused: :p :) :cool: