How to Overcome Exam Anxiety?

 

I prepared for the all-important and not so important topic for the exam, I was so scared the thought of goofing up in the paper. What if this question asked what if this happens that happens.

I had sleepless nights before the examination.

On the day I entered into the exam hall and “JUST GOT BLANK” like I forgot each everything I had prepared for the exam. I have read this but can not recall the answer.

The above Example can be scary but the reality of many students.

Many bright students fail to perform up to the level of their intelligence not because they have not prepared the syllabus but “They are not Mentally Prepared for the examination”.

“You are prepared with all the answers, but are prepared with the feelings associated with the examination?”

Read further for the advice on How to overcome Exam Anxiety??

What is Exam Anxiety?

Well, We all know what is Exam Anxiety or Stress.

If you observe the strange changes in your breathing pattern, Heaviness in Chest or sweaty palms, etc while appearing for the exam.

Many students complain about acid reflux, Headache, or not able to sleep just before the examination.

How students reach Exam Anxiety or stress?

Since childhood, we are bound to give some exam or test for showing our competence.

Let take Example of a Child who is being asked by his parents to perform in front of Guest.

Some children enjoy it, some get blank in front of guests, or some never show up.

With increasing competition in today’s time, getting good marks, or rather getting more marks than others have become the prime focus.

In this race, Parents prepare their kids for exams by investing in school or coaching but mostly miss on the extremely crucial part…

“How to prepare your child Mentally for any Exam?”

The solution to implement -how to overcome exam anxiety.

1. Prepare for the best as well as worst.

This may sound strange but you can prepare yourself for the exam with the right mindset.

How to get the right mindset?

Sit back and relax, take deep breathes and imagine you are already in the examination hall, about to write an answer and all questions are as you expected despite a few questions that will require some effort.

See yourself confidently writing all answers and feeling good mentally and physically.

Doing this visualization of yourself performing best in Exams can surely help you reduce Anxiety.

Remember focus just on the positive feelings at this moment.

Let say You can not help thinking of all negative Images, Well I will its good you know where to work on.

2. Find your exam role model.

This is a fun exercise and yet effective. Haven’t we dream of being a superhero and save the world?

Yes, we all have one of some point of time in life.

Choose a Role model you want to become and perform best in the exam.

For Example – My role model in MS Dhoni.

While pursuing an exam I imagine myself as MS Dhoni, I think, see, feel, and listen like him. I lay out my strategy and do not lose my calm and composure.

Imagine you are just like your role model going through the examination and performing best.

The Key is asking yourself ” If my role model was in this situation, what he/she will do?”

3. Learn Relaxation

Negative emotion takes over charge usually when you are not relaxed and have distorted thinking.

Try following the Relaxation Technique.

Sit back and take a deep breath, get relax with each calming and soothing breathes, now close your eyes and imagine your head getting relax, then neck, chest, both hands, stomach, back, both legs and both feet. Continue taking deep breaths while focusing on each body part.

4. Take Care of your health.

This is known but less practiced, get good sleep and foods during the examination.

The brain needs rest and oxygen for all days work isn’t it?

if you starve him for days he will go blank in the examination hall. Jokes apart, Health is always first for performance and curb anxiety.

5. Be flexible to accept your Limitation.

Yes, This is required. You could be best at something, worst at few things but You can not be good at everything. Just think what best you can do an excel.

If you keep on thinking about what you can not do you may end up not performing at the things which you can actually do.

The point is to accept your limitations and focus energy on the best and good part of yours.

Bonus Script for how to overcome exam anxiety?- Visualization for Exam/Test Paper.

This is a sample script not necessarily followed in word by word pattern.

You can add or delete any details irrelevant to you.

The point is to see, feel, and listen yourself prepared positively for the examination.

Take deep breaths, sit back, relax, and now close your eyes and follow the script, try to make a movie in front of your eyes, and be the hero of that movie.

“Looks in the Clock “oh Its 6.00 am in the morning, I slept almost 8.30 hrs. I still have time to revise once more but let me get first ready for the day.” (Thinking in Mind), (I will perform my best in today’s exam).

Let’s have breakfast mom has just prepared she keep on insist on eating, wow it looks delicious.

Let me just skim through the material, this is going to be fun today. I am glad I learned mind maps and practiced it well.

Time to go for Exam, its beautiful weather why they keep exams in such weather. I am happy at least I will be free earlier than a regular day.

Thanks to dad, we visited this place earlier, finding my exam room and the seat is much easier because of that. Thanks to Mom, she helped me in organizing my bag, I have everything handy.

The teacher is very supportive. The Test paper is white and fresh I can smell the carbon on it. it is very neatly written.

let me read all the questions, fair enough let me start with this one I know it well should not take much time.

rest I can focus later. one more and after another, it is quite comfortable than I thought of. isn’t it? Still, I have a few minutes left,

Let me recheck, I think I have performed well, Feels like the universe is with me.

Just in a few moments, I will out in that awesome weather. I will eat lunch with mom today. Happy to prepared well in both syllabus and emotionally.”

Conclusion of How to Overcome Exam Anxiety?