Exams are one of the most mentally taxing and stressful events in anyone’s life. Everyone has gone through the feeling of nervousness and might have felt the effects of procrastination when the exam is nearing.
Exams are deciding factors of your career path. Maybe you are going to write an exam tomorrow or in an hour, and you’re reading this article to know what you should not do in order to be effective and efficient in your examination and get satisfactory marks. This article will mention 10 things you should never do before your exam. Don’t feel nervous. Take a deep breath and have a positive mindset.
Do not ask your academic peers their level of preparation.
You might not have prepared everything that is being asked in your exam, and if you get to know that your peers have prepared more than what you have prepared, you might jump to the conclusion that you are falling behind and think that everyone else has prepared perfectly, when, in reality, everyone is tensed like you. That one concept you missed is not the only question that will be asked in the exam. Carry the knowledge you are aware of and use them in the exam.
Do not prepare new concepts when there is little time left
This is a widely known fact, and it is so because learning something completely new will add to the already existing stress inside your head, and you won’t be able to understand it completely. The inability to learn new things during this time is hard because there persists a sense of dread before the exam. Revise what you have already prepared, so you will perfect what you know. Partial knowledge of a concept does more harm than good during your exam. Therefore it is not advisable to do so.
Do not be at the exam
Being late to your exam center is stressful and disturbs the peace of mind required to attempt the examination. Know beforehand the accurate details of the location of the exam center and time is taken to travel if it is a new area, and the time of the examination. Travel through the preferred mode of transport on your exam day and check how long it will take to reach there. Start early on the day of the exam. There is nothing more calming than reaching your exam center with plenty of time left.
Do not burn the midnight oil
Burning the midnight oil means studying late into the night. Don’t over caffeinate yourself, and try to study the night before the exam. You will lose precious time that your brain needs to rest and repair trying to learn a new concept. A good night’s rest will ensure that the brain has enough rest to perform effectively and stay sharp during the exam. You don’t want to be sleeping during the exam. Sharp your ax well before cutting down the tree!
Do not starve or eat less before your exam
Writing an exam is a difficult task. You should have enough energy to go through the exam. Feeling hungry during an exam makes you feel tired and weak, which will affect your performance. Moreover, you don’t want your brain to be distracted by food while you’re writing the exam.
Do not adopt a negative mindset
You might not have enough time to cover the whole syllabus. This should not result in a negative mindset before your exam. Everyone is tensed before an exam. But being negative is something else. You tend to underestimate yourself and spread a negative vibe to those around you with such a mindset. Therefore revise what you have prepared and attempt your exam well with what you know.
Do not indulge in highly stimulating activities
Some activities highly stimulate your brain and use up a lot of its “concentration fuel.” These are highly stimulating activities. One such example is playing video games and scrolling social media. When you attempt your exam after such activities, you find yourself being unable to concentrate or focus on your exam, which will hit your performance. Therefore avoid indulging in such activities before your exam.
Do not consume junk food before your exam
Consuming junk food before your exam will make you feel uncomfortable and will increase your stress during your examination. Stress eating is common before exams, and it is hard not to avoid junk foods. Focusing on your diet is important, especially during exams. It might feel tempting to consume junk food, but you have to take care of your diet eat healthy foods like fruits and veggies to keep yourself full and fresh for the exam.
Don’t go unprepared
Do not go to the exam unprepared. It will affect your confidence because you’re sitting idle while others are continuing their exam. Revise what you already know or concepts that you find relatable. This will give you a confidence boost because you will realize that with enough time, you can prepare more concepts and do well in the exam next time.
Avoid frequent breaks
Frequent breaks mean your brain is shifting the intensity of your focus frequently, which will make you feel mentally tired as well as experience a lower capacity to retain what you have prepared for your exam. You will find it hard to concentrate while studying with frequent breaks in between.
You have prepared what you have prepared. Don’t feel tense thinking about what you haven’t studied for the exam. Stay alert and rock your exams.
