10 Ways To Maintain Composure During Your Matric Exams
10 Ways To Maintain Composure During Your Matric Exams. This is one of the toughest times in many students’ lives. Despite all tour preparations, it’s natural to feel stressed during an exam, so don’t panic. If you feel tense or nervous, it’s important to relax yourself mentally and physically. Take a few deep breaths, release the tension in your mind, and loosen up your body. If you try your best to relax and think positive thoughts, you can concentrate and make it through.
1. Be Confident
Confidence is the key to success and preparation is key to confidence. If one is well prepared, one can appear for the exam confidently. You should start your preparation early and leave ample time for revision. It will help you gain required confidence for the test day.
2. Read The Paper Carefully
When you’re stressed about an exam, it can be easy to forget the basics like reading instructions. Before you dive in, however, take a few minutes to read over exactly what the paper is asking you to do. Make sure you understand the directions, and ask for clarification if you don’t.
3. Decide Which Questions To Tackle First
Some people like to start with easy material, as a kind of warm-up and to build confidence for the more difficult parts. Others prefer to start with the more challenging questions or sections, to get them out of the way. Whatever your preference is, having a plan for working through the test will make it more manageable.
4. Take Your Time
An exam test is timed, but rushing through it won’t help you. Try to work at an even pace, taking your time to read and answer each question carefully. If you have trouble with one, however, don’t get stuck and spend all of your time on it. Move on, and come back to it if you have time at the end
5. Don’t Fixate On What Others Are Doing
You might look around and see others who seem to be breezing through the paper without a problem, which can make you feel more stressed. Or, you might see others looking equally stressed, which won’t make you feel better, either. Do your best to just stay focused on what you are doing.
6. Take Deep Breaths
Many people also have the tendency to take short, shallow breaths when they are tense. Taking long, slow breaths instead will reduce your stress and help you concentrate. During the exam, try to pay attention to your breathing.
7. Practice Mindfulness
If you have trouble concentrating on a particular part of the paper, if your mind starts to wander, or if you start to panic a little, some mindfulness exercises can help. These help you to stay centered in the moment, reducing your stress and improving concentration.
8. Get Sufficient Sleep
We can never over emphasize the importance of getting sufficient sleep before the exam day. Needless to say, proper sleep helps increase your concentration level and thus, your performance on the exam day. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of sleep before the exam.
9. Be Optimistic
Optimism can help you during the various phases of your preparation and certainly on the examination day. Never be disheartened. Always be motivated, be positive, and believe in yourself.
10. Aim High
Set an aim for yourself and give your best shot to achieve it. The aim must be high and clear in the eyes of the student. Setting an aim opens the path for achievement. If you aim high and earnestly try to achieve it, you would definitely do better that you otherwise would have done. But, please keep in mind that aim should be realistic.
