“I failed in some subjects in my examination, but my friends passed in all. Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the owner of Microsoft.” - Bill Gates
Examination, a single word that evokes a labyrinth of anxieties, dilemmas, stresses, confusions, desperation, depression and a lot of other psychosomatic disorders. All these feelings arise because of the examination fear which students commonly suffer across the world.
The fear of examination, if not attenuated and tamed in time, aggravates to stress, a dangerous condition. It also adversely affects the psychological condition of examinees. The academic performance and career prospects then land in trouble.
1. Ask yourself why you are stressed and afraid
Though it may seem bizarre, sometimes, we do not even know why and what we fear and this dilemma aggravates the problem. Only diagnosing the problems in time can help us to come out from the difficult condition. So, you must first identify the reasons of your worries. This is the first step in the direction of uprooting and overcoming the stresses.
For some students, lack of completion of syllabi of examination poses the great problem, while for others, lack of retention power of lessons learnt seems to be their Achilles’ heel. Some students do suffer from the problem of understanding the subjects and so feel very helpless and discouraged to face what we may call the ordeal of examination.
Problems may be galore, but they need to be fixed before trying to solve them. Groping in the dark for solutions without knowing the nature of the problem would lead you nowhere.
So, make an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know your problems, you must do your best to solve them with help from professionals and experts. The faster you overcome your problems, the sooner will you be able to drive the fears out of your system to finally become confident, cool, calm and courageous.
2. You must push harder for your dreams
No one can deny that hard labour has no substitute for accomplishing any task in this world. Achieving much-expected results in examination is not at all different from this precept. With hard work, students can amazingly harness their inherent potential to fulfill their dreams
Going through the syllabi of subjects seriously and thoroughly is prerequisite for good results. This will enthuse you with confidence and courage and ultimately help you with the pressures of examination.
3. Speak to and seek parents’ guidance
In case of examination stress, it is always inevitable to speak about it to your parents. If you fear or feel shy speaking to your parents, it would be better if you talk about your problemswith someone you confide in and trust most. Students may also speak to their best friends and teachers in this critical condition. Sharing your problems openly with trusted ones will help you allay the fears and phobia of examination.
4. You must have strictly planned and fully occupied day
Chalking out plans for preparation of examinations is a sine qua non of what you want to achieve in your life. But majority of students fail to plan and that is why they fail to assess the tasks that need to be accomplished until the examinations commence.
Delay in planning is not good because, in this case, students are left with relatively less time to finish the immense task. This virtually insurmountable condition may put you in jeopardy. So, you need to chalk out a comprehensive time to plan only at the outset of the session for all subjects. And at the most, religiously sticking to the planned study hours is also of prime importance.
5. Regular meditation would help you stay cool and calm
The practice of regular meditation quietens one’s mind. This brings about personal metamorphoses in the form of a sharper mind, enhanced focus and strengthened concentration which ultimately help the students grasp the subject matter fast and stay calm and cool. So, you must practice meditation regularly at least for ten to fifteen minutes as per the schedule you may convenient.
6. Stop Cramming Lessons
Rote learning does not help much in the long run because its retention period is very poor because what we learn by rote does not stay in the mind for longer periods of time. Nor are such lessons retrieved easily at the time students need most. This situation causes tension. Always try to understand the subject matter, the processes and clearly know the way a certain theory functions. Give time to understand the various concepts of the subjects.
7. Set Realistic Goals
Dreaming to achieve bigger things is human nature which we all love and long. But dreaming must be based upon the availability of resources and inherent strength. So, you must honestly make a real assessment of your capabilities.
Know your own strengths and weaknesses very honestly. Set your goalkeeping your limitations in mind and that would help you to lead a life full of mental serenity.
8. Never Panic
People usually panic when problems arise, and there is nothing weird about it because one’s whole world seems to have been shattered in the crisis. Life does not seem to be enjoyable. But, panicking does not pay anything. Nor does it heal or provide relief to the bruised body or disturbed mind. Rather, it aggravates the situation. At this crossroads, you need to be very rational. Do not lose heart, patience and courage. Try to always stay stoic and firm. Keep on pushing hard for what you want to realize in your life. This would help you to become courageous to brave the challenges of life with ease.
9. Always believe nothing bad will happen
Unlike success, failure makes a man a cynic and a pessimist. Due to this, he starts doubting even himself and his own potential. This is a very serious problem which eats into the inherent capability of a student. Believing in your strength helps you stay motivated and ambitious. With a positive bend of mind and unshakeable faith in your capability, you can accomplish any task however difficult it may be. This is bound to bring about much-cherished success to you and amazingly keep stresses at bay.
Psychoanalysts say that examination stress is just a state of mind. With low self-esteem and shattered self-confidence, the examination stress goes on mounting with a speed never seen before. So, mould the mind and bring about changes in the life style and philosophies of life - you would never be under stress and worries would never haunt you.