How to Stay Calm During Exams: 9 Pro Tips
The exams period can be very stressful, and many students feel tensioned because they want to give their best. No matter how much you have studied, you will feel a little anxious. But if you want to get a good grade, you need to focus, and for this, you have to remain calm. Here is our list of 9 pro tips that can help you keep your calm.
- Sleep
It’s well known that sleep can boost your memory, so make sure you sleep 8 hours the night before the exam. If you think that staying up late and studying will improve your performance on the exam, you’re wrong. You will be tired the next morning, you will find it hard to concentrate, and you won’t be able to remember everything. So, it’s better to revise in the daytime and sleep at night.
- Don’t consume too much caffeine or energy drinks
It’s fine if you drink one cup of coffee a day, but don’t exaggerate with it. You may think that if you drink a significant amount of caffeine or energy drinks, you will focus better. Unfortunately, this is not true. If you consume too much caffeine or too many energy drinks, probably you will be anxious, you will have headaches and or a stomach ache. You know that it is not indicated to feel sick on an exam day. Therefore you need to avoid the risks that may cause these health problems. Make sure to eat something healthy before you drink one of these beverages.
- Bring the necessary items for the exam
Before you leave home, make sure you have pencils, calculator, rulers or any other things that your teacher asked you to have on the exam day. If you forget to bring these things, you will be stressed, so it’s better to double check. Also, it’s extremely important to have a bottle of water with you in case you dehydrate.
- Eat healthy
Many students don’t realize that foods affects their life and health. Even though you don’t like eating vegetables or fruits, you can try to eat them while you’re learning for the exams. Due to their nutrients, they can give you more energy. Avoid the foods that are full in sugar or carbohydrates. Also, make time to eat at least three times a day. If you don’t have time to prepare a meal, make sure you have a snack with you. Products that contain protein can help you focus better. Therefore, on the morning of the exam, make sure to include in your breakfast cottage cheese, yogurt, nuts, and eggs. Other foods that are good for you are dried fruits, sunflower seeds, walnuts, fish, blueberries, bananas, spinach or broccoli.
- Listen carefully to the instructions
Listening to the instructions given by the professors can make you feel calmer because you will have an idea of how to solve the questions. Before you start any of the questions, make sure to read the entire exam paper in order to see how many exercises there are. Don’t forget to verify both sides of the paper. Also, you can read every question to see their complexity. This way, you will know how to manage your time. If you don’t know what to answer to an exercise, move on. Don’t remain stuck on one question because you will waste the time. Answer the questions that you know, then you can come back to those that are more challenging.
- Verify your answers
Don’t rush to leave your classroom immediately after you have finished the exam. Although many students do this, you don’t have to be like them. Stay and read the whole exam paper again and again. This way, you can check for grammatical or spelling errors. Also, you may remember something new that you can add to one of your questions.
- Exercise
Besides eating healthy, exercising can improve your performance on the exams. How? Exercising increases the levels of endorphins and lowers the stress levels. You don’t have to do an intensive workout, a walk is enough. So, between your study breaks or after you will have finished revising, go for a walk. Also, it will clear your mind, so you will be able to focus.
- Relax a bit before the exam
It’s important to detach yourself from all the agitation created by the exams. So, do whatever makes you happy and calm. For instance, listen to music, eat your favorite meal, talk to your best friend or watch an episode of your favorite TV show.
- Be confident
Don’t think negatively. You have to be confident in your knowledge. If you have studied hard, you will get the deserved grades. Focus on a positive attitude and try to do your best. Remember, you can do this!
