Exam Season
By Shambhavi Parsekar
It’s March and the air is getting thick with early jitters and apprehensions that run high this time of the year. Those affected by this season’s demands are the young, freedom loving, studies avoiding, idealistic persons we call students. And those tormented even more are their office-going, responsibility-driven, parents with ever rising expectations.
It’s March and the air is getting thick with early jitters and apprehensions that run high this time of the year. Those affected by this season’s demands are the young, freedom loving, studies avoiding, idealistic persons we call students. And those tormented even more are their office-going, responsibility-driven, parents with ever rising expectations.
Nothing is ever enough in this exam
crazy, percentage hungry system of ours. To get the best, you have to be better
than the best. Even if it doesn’t make sense, there’s no time to stop and
think. The mantra is: perform or perish. And so we march into the maddening
exam season.
But we have to learn to relax. I know this sounds crazy, especially when you are trying to figure out complex derivatives, memorise never ending lines of dates and achieve breakneck speeds at writing answers. But too much pressure will surely get you negative results. Exam season need not be all about burning the midnight oil and having nerves on edge. It can be turned into a positive, fulfilling experience. An experience that can be life enriching and equip children to deal with tough situations later in life.
The most important thing about answering an exam is planning. First plan how you want to go about studying. Then plan how you would like to answer the paper. The first step in planning is to know your strengths and weaknesses. Then according to the time frame at your disposal, always devote more time to weaknesses. This is the only way they can be turned into strengths. But when answering the exam, always begin with your strengths, and keep tougher sections for later. More than half the work is done with proper, carefully considered planning.
Another part that goes together with planning is goal-setting. Planning is not complete without a measurable goal. It shouldn’t be abstract, vague or unrealistic, or else it becomes unattainable. And if it’s unachievable then you lose motivation, and it results in stress and negative thinking. It always helps to break down a bigger goal into micro goals, and reward yourself when you achieve them. Breaking down the entire history syllabus into micro goals, like completing chapters within specific time frames, will help you learn the entire subject and feel good about it.
It’s always better to understand and learn. But there are certain areas like formulae and dates which you have to just commit to memory. Using mnemonic devices and revising everyday ensure an impeccable recall when it’s needed most. The human attention span is around thirty minutes. So it’s important to take short breaks in between when you get tired of studying. The best method to determine your attention span is to notice when your mind starts wandering. This happens when you are just staring at the text or blindly reading text without understanding or processing the material. This means it’s time for a break. But don’t let the break be too long or else they will defeat the purpose.
Always make time for relaxing. Watching TV and playing computer games are not always the best option when studying as they are addictive and strain the eyes. Some physical activity or social interactions give a mental break. This refreshes the mind and improves concentration and memory. Avoid any medications that promise to make you smarter or boost memory. Believing in yourself and your abilities and working hard are more reliable ways of improving performance. Remember, when it comes to exams, it’s always better to keep a cool head and positive attitude.
But we have to learn to relax. I know this sounds crazy, especially when you are trying to figure out complex derivatives, memorise never ending lines of dates and achieve breakneck speeds at writing answers. But too much pressure will surely get you negative results. Exam season need not be all about burning the midnight oil and having nerves on edge. It can be turned into a positive, fulfilling experience. An experience that can be life enriching and equip children to deal with tough situations later in life.
The most important thing about answering an exam is planning. First plan how you want to go about studying. Then plan how you would like to answer the paper. The first step in planning is to know your strengths and weaknesses. Then according to the time frame at your disposal, always devote more time to weaknesses. This is the only way they can be turned into strengths. But when answering the exam, always begin with your strengths, and keep tougher sections for later. More than half the work is done with proper, carefully considered planning.
Another part that goes together with planning is goal-setting. Planning is not complete without a measurable goal. It shouldn’t be abstract, vague or unrealistic, or else it becomes unattainable. And if it’s unachievable then you lose motivation, and it results in stress and negative thinking. It always helps to break down a bigger goal into micro goals, and reward yourself when you achieve them. Breaking down the entire history syllabus into micro goals, like completing chapters within specific time frames, will help you learn the entire subject and feel good about it.
It’s always better to understand and learn. But there are certain areas like formulae and dates which you have to just commit to memory. Using mnemonic devices and revising everyday ensure an impeccable recall when it’s needed most. The human attention span is around thirty minutes. So it’s important to take short breaks in between when you get tired of studying. The best method to determine your attention span is to notice when your mind starts wandering. This happens when you are just staring at the text or blindly reading text without understanding or processing the material. This means it’s time for a break. But don’t let the break be too long or else they will defeat the purpose.
Always make time for relaxing. Watching TV and playing computer games are not always the best option when studying as they are addictive and strain the eyes. Some physical activity or social interactions give a mental break. This refreshes the mind and improves concentration and memory. Avoid any medications that promise to make you smarter or boost memory. Believing in yourself and your abilities and working hard are more reliable ways of improving performance. Remember, when it comes to exams, it’s always better to keep a cool head and positive attitude.
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