What should we do before an exam?

What should you do before an exam? More than just studying

The run up to an examination, or worse, a period of continuous examinations, is always horrid! There is that awful panic that you haven't done sufficient work to pass the exam, or that you have so much information to revise and to try to retain that you really don't know where to start. Add into the mix sleepless nights, a need to hold a part time job in order to fund your academic studying, that inevitable pull of social events and any personal and family commitments that need to be upheld and you'll find yourself in a very stressful environment indeed. Whilst exams will always cause stress, fear and general unpleasantness, there are things that you can do to ease some of this fear and reduce your stress levels in the lead up to an examination period. Listed below are a few ideas for activities that you can complete to keep yourself as stress free as possible during this crucial study period.

- Create a study or revision plan / timetable. Revision timetables are great because they create a sense of order into what can otherwise feel like a huge ball of chaos. By creating a study plan you will be able to work logically through each of the subjects that you need to revise. This will refresh your memory of the earlier modules that you have taken, and will allow you to really understand the workload ahead of you. In addition, a study or revision timetable allows you to evenly space out each subject area that needs to be revised; you can work out how many modules or subject areas you need to revise or study, then see how many hours worth of available revision time you have, and then finally determine exactly how many hours can be allocated to each module that needs to be revised.

- Complete past exam papers. This is perhaps the best way to revise a subject area. It gets you into the habit of actually answering a set question as opposed to regurgitating everything you know about a particular subject area, and it gives you a feel for the sort of questions the examiners are likely to set.

- Plan some relaxation time into your day. No one works at their best if they don't have an opportunity to take frequent breaks from the task in hand. Whilst it might feel as if you are losing valuable revision time by spending 30 minutes watching the television, that break in your concentration will give your brain a chance to relax, so it will be much more focused when your next revision sessions arrives.

- Talk to other people. If you are stressed, tell others that this is how you are feeling. Often a fear or concern you hold is much worse when you keep it all to yourself. Share your concerns and you'll find that you ultimately feel much better and much more positive about the entire situation.

- Don't lose your confidence. Believe in yourself and in your abilities and all will be fine.

Do you need help with your university course? Then use the professional student proofreading service from Words Worth Reading Ltd

By Samantha Joy Pearce

The run up to an examination, or worse, a period of continuous examinations, is always horrid! There is that awful panic that you haven't done sufficient work to pass the exam, or that you have so much information to revise and to try to retain that you really don't know where to start. Add into the mix sleepless nights, a need to hold a part time job in order to fund your academic studying, that inevitable pull of social events and any personal and family commitments that need to be upheld and you'll find yourself in a very stressful environment indeed. Whilst exams will always cause stress, fear and general unpleasantness, there are things that you can do to ease some of this fear and reduce your stress levels in the lead up to an examination period. Listed below are a few ideas for activities that you can complete to keep yourself as stress free as possible during this crucial study period.

- Create a study or revision plan / timetable. Revision timetables are great because they create a sense of order into what can otherwise feel like a huge ball of chaos. By creating a study plan you will be able to work logically through each of the subjects that you need to revise. This will refresh your memory of the earlier modules that you have taken, and will allow you to really understand the workload ahead of you. In addition, a study or revision timetable allows you to evenly space out each subject area that needs to be revised; you can work out how many modules or subject areas you need to revise or study, then see how many hours worth of available revision time you have, and then finally determine exactly how many hours can be allocated to each module that needs to be revised.

- Complete past exam papers. This is perhaps the best way to revise a subject area. It gets you into the habit of actually answering a set question as opposed to regurgitating everything you know about a particular subject area, and it gives you a feel for the sort of questions the examiners are likely to set.

- Plan some relaxation time into your day. No one works at their best if they don't have an opportunity to take frequent breaks from the task in hand. Whilst it might feel as if you are losing valuable revision time by spending 30 minutes watching the television, that break in your concentration will give your brain a chance to relax, so it will be much more focused when your next revision sessions arrives.

- Talk to other people. If you are stressed, tell others that this is how you are feeling. Often a fear or concern you hold is much worse when you keep it all to yourself. Share your concerns and you'll find that you ultimately feel much better and much more positive about the entire situation.

- Don't lose your confidence. Believe in yourself and in your abilities and all will be fine.

Source: youniversitytv