The Day Before and the Day of the Exam
The Day Before the Exam
On Cramming:
The night before the exam it is OK to study subjects that need memorization, or
to briefly review your notes. Don’t start a new topic or study difficult
content.
It is generally not a good idea to study the day of the exam.
Your Prepared: Once you feel you are adequately prepared for the exam, do something relaxing.
Sleep: Sleep at least 8 hours the night before the exam. When you are overly tired you will not function at your absolute best.
Relaxation
Tips the Day of the Exam:
• Slow, deep breathing is relaxing and restores oxygen to the brain.
• Gentle stretching or walking stimulates circulation and increases oxygen
delivery to the brain.
• Listen to music that you like
• Avoid ingesting alcohol, cold medications, or unusual amounts of caffeine.
• Proper preparation will clear your mind of unnecessary details the day of the
exam!
To be able to do your best on the day of the test some suggestions:
· Begin your day with a moderate breakfast and avoid coffee if you are prone to "caffeine jitters." Even people who usually manage caffeine well may feel light-headed and jittery when indulging on the day of a test.
· Try to do something relaxing the hour before the test — last minute cramming will cloud your mastering of the overall concepts of the course.
· Plan to arrive at the test location early — this will allow you to relax and to select a seat located away from doors, windows, and other distractions.
· Avoid others who generate anxiety and could upset your stability.
· If waiting for the test to begin causes anxiety, distract yourself by reading a magazine or newspaper.
Before you begin answering the questions on the test, take a few minutes and do the following:
· First review the entire test; then read the directions twice. Try to think of the test as an opportunity to show what you know; then begin to organize your time efficiently.
· For multiple choice questions, read all the options first, then eliminate the most obvious. Unsure of the correct response? Rely on your first impression, then move on quickly. Beware of tricky qualifying words such as "only," "always," or "most."
· Do not rush through the test. Wear a watch and check it frequently as you pace yourself. If it appears you will be unable to finish the entire test, concentrate on those portions which you can answer well. Recheck your answers only if you have extra time — and only if you are not anxious.
Curb excess anxiety in any of the following ways:
· Tell yourself "I can be anxious later, now is the time to take the exam."
· Focus on answering the question, not on passing or others’ performances.
· Counter negative thoughts with other, more valid thoughts like, "I don’t have to be perfect."
· Tense and relax muscles throughout your body; take a couple of slow deep breaths and try to maintain a positive attitude.
· If allowed, get a drink or go to the bathroom.
· Eat something.
· Think for a moment about the post-exam reward you promised yourself.
Whether you did well or not, be sure to follow through on the reward you promised yourself — and enjoy it! Try not to dwell on all the mistakes you might have made. Indulge in something relaxing for a little while.
Reducing Anxiety in the Exam Room
Some students feel anxious only during the exam or test. Some ways of reducing anxiety during the test follow:
· Peruse the whole exam to discover which questions you are able to do with relative ease and plan to do these first. The result is likely to be a little more confidence and the comfort of knowing that there are no easy marks that you missed on the exam.
· Plan to divide your time evenly among the available marks of the exam; e.g., spend ten percent of your time on ten percent of the marks for the test. While you may not stay strictly with this limit, it is worthwhile to know how many minutes you should spend per percentage point in the exam. Following this guideline gives you a sense of progress and feedback about how you are doing.
· Some students even find it helpful to set mini-breaks at specified points during the exam during which they close their eyes, relax their hands and do deep breathing exercises. Even thirty seconds can help bring down your symptoms of stress if you use one of the various relaxation strategies.
· At all times try to focus on the process of answering the question rather than on the end result.