Most students face anxiety and panic during exams. Feelings of extreme pressure or fear of failure can bring this. If you’ve had at least one poor performance in the past, it can create negative feelings and cause a student, regardless of academic level, to perform poorly on a test.
While a small amount of tension during exams is normal, when it becomes too much, you might be unable to recall learned educational material resulting in low performance. So how can you remain calm during exams? Find out from this post.
Distractions Can Yield Positive Results
Distractions are often shunned in academia as it hinders learning. However, in some cases, positive distraction can be a great technique for coping with anxiety. After all, if left unchecked, too much tension can affect a learner’s mental health and confidence and create a dislike for learning.
A student can distract their mind by counting backward from 20 or touching an object and remembering why it’s special or the good memories it has. In exams, it’s best to carry small things such as a key chain or a special pen that will be a positive distraction and quickly boost your mood. Playing distracting memory games for a few minutes is also a great strategy for remaining calm during exams.
Relax
When students have too much workload but want to relax and get more free time without sacrificing their academic performance, they buy essay online from a legit writer.
Too much pressure to achieve high academic results can easily cause a student to worry. This is common for students who set the bar too high and always want perfection. Besides, too much panicking during exams can cause the mind to go blank. To avoid that, try a three- or 5 minutes dose of meditation to clear the mind of negative thoughts and reduce tension.
Say No to Overthinking
The more you worry about exams, the more you overthink and cause your brain to overwork. One solution to try would be taking a break for a few minutes. Yes, every second counts in timed tests. However, when your brain is not at optimal performance due to worry, you cannot concentrate and recall the information you spent studying.
Remind Yourself Why You Took That Course
You are likely to enroll in a particular course because you’re passionate about that subject. That means most of your time has been spent studying. As a result, you have the knowledge needed to answer exam questions.
So remind yourself that you have prepared adequately and can recall the information needed to pass exams. This form of positive reinforcement will help reduce worry and cause you to concentrate.
The trick is quickly shift your mind by replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. For instance, when students start worrying, they can think about how good results will impress parents or generate praise from a favorite teacher.
Think of the Worst Case Scenario
Too much anxiety during exams clouds the brain and prevents a student from seeing the big picture. Learning is more than just getting good grades. Yes, grades determine the subjects you’ll study at university, but it is possible to succeed without good grades.
So think of all the famous people who were not great at school but have great successful careers and have so much money. So in the worst-case scenario, if you fail an exam, you can always study smarter. So, believe in your potential.
Use the Reward System to Stay Motivated
When students doubt that they can perform well in exams, it causes them to get more stress and discouraged. To remedy that, always set something interesting to do after an exam so that it activates the brain reward system. This also gives students something to look forward to because they know they will enjoy a reward after finishing the exams.
To create calmness, visualize completing the exams on time and what you’ll do afterward. Overall, this technique uses the power of imagination to keep a student motivated to succeed in exams.
Go to Your Happy Place
Finding a happy place can be a great coping mechanism when a student faces exam anxiety. A student will think positively and remain calm by having a happy place or good memories to think about.
When you’re calm, you can use the exam as an opportunity to show the material you have learned so far. And to remind yourself you’re also ready to receive a reward for your excellent academic performance.
