Are you scared of the exams? Who isn’t? The biggest reason for your lack of confidence is improper preparation. You may study too much, but you may still be unprepared to take and pass an exam. Strong and adequate preparation will make you calmer and more confident.
Some students are even guilty of superstitions. Be honest: how many times have you walked around a ladder, thinking that passing under it would bring bad luck on the exam? It’s something that all students have done at one point or another. Not to mention the fact that if the exam is on the 4th of the month, you’re absolutely certain that it won’t bring anything good.
Here’s another superstition: at one moment, while your books were scattered all around the room and you decided to stretch on the floor, you realized you were sitting on a book. Oh, no! Remember what your grandmother used to say? Sitting on a book makes you stupid! Books are for reading; not for sitting on. Did you know that students from Russia are sleeping on textbooks, thinking that helps them learn more?
Relax. Superstitions are natural, but not justified. Do you know what’s justified? Studying and preparation. Only that will bring you good luck on the exam.
So how do you prepare well? These practical tips will help.
1. Do Not Panic
This is the most important thing to keep in mind: you have to be relaxed! If you panic and you try to find bad signs all around you, the superstitions will only lead you to failure. Take deep, calm breaths before you open that textbook.
Close your eyes and say to yourself: “Now, I’m going to study. Nothing will stop me from going through this chapter and understanding it. I will learn and I will know.”
Believe that! Self-affirmations have the power to change your mindset. They help you reach and maintain a positive attitude towards the concept of taking exams. With that approach, it’s easier to prepare yourself for the challenge you’re about to face.
2. Avoid All Distractions!
You’ll pass the exams only and only if you study effectively. You can’t study effectively if you’re surrounded by distractions. Take half an hour to clean up your room. Put all distracting items aside (this would be your tablet and phone, books and drawings you don’t need, the TV remote, the video game console, and anything else that distracts you from the studying process).
As for the Internet distractions, it’s important to avoid those, too. You probably need your computer and the Internet connection to get more information on the concepts you’re trying to understand for this exam. However, you easily end up on Facebook or Instagram and waste an entire hour on social media. You can avoid that pitfall. Install browser extensions that limit your access to distracting websites.
3. Make a Plan!
You have multiple exams to take, right? How will you study for all of them? Is it even possible to cover the entire material while completing an essay or two at the same time?
Do not panic!
Every other student is facing the same challenge. Some are successful, others fail. Do you know what the most important factor for success is? Time management. Evaluate the volume of studying material you have to study. Then, evaluate the time you have. If there’s not enough time to cover everything, pick the most important areas to revise and focus on them. Then, use your Google Calendar to plan how you’ll break up that studying material within the time you have.
As for the essays, you can outsource them to a service like www.essaygeeks.co.uk. No one can do the studying for you. However, a professional writer can help you complete the papers. You’ll save a lot of time, which you can use for studying. Smart outsourcing is an essential element of effective time management.
4. Use Your Notes
We’ll just assume that you were attending classes regularly and you were taking notes. If that wasn’t the case, then make sure to stick to that practice for the next semester. If you don’t have notes, see if you can borrow them from students who were taking them. The notes tell you what your professors think it’s important. They help you study effectively without accumulating unnecessary information.
Keep taking notes during the studying process. When you write down the information you just went through, it’s easier to remember it. Try answering some questions with the book closed. That practice reveals your strengths and weaknesses. Note down the areas that need improvement and go through those sections of the material once again.
5. Focus!
Okay. You studied. Now, the day of the exam is here. The mere thought of it makes you anxious. It’s okay to feel a healthy dose of stress, but don’t allow it to cause a blockade. Calm down. You’ve done the hardest part – the studying. Now, you only need to take that exam and you’ll feel an enormous relief afterwards.
Stay hydrated and eat well before the exam, so you won’t be distracted by thirst or hunger. During the exam, read every question very carefully and make sure you understand it before you start writing the answer. Make a concept in your mind, so you’ll know what areas to focus on. Most of all, focus! Any distraction will make you nervous, so don’t pay attention to the students and conversations around.

Exams are part of our education. We cannot avoid them. The only thing we can do is prepare well and take them with success. Hopefully, the tips above will help you do that.

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