Examinations, such as the baccalaureate, entrance exams to certain schools and university exams, are crucial moments in everyone’s life and often mark a decisive turning point in academic or professional life. It is therefore normal that they are stressful, even anxiety-provoking. Here are our six tips to help you do well in your exams.
BE MOTIVATED, NOT STRESSED
Stress and anxiety are what hinders the most the good preparation and the success of an exam. Although this apprehension is natural for an important examination, it must not take over. To work, revise and persist in your preparation, it can be favorable to feel some pressure, provided that it is light and does not paralyze you. So learn how to manage your stress, put things into perspective and transform stress and pressure into pure motivation .
PREPARE WELL IN ADVANCE
We have all been tempted at one time or another to prepare for an exam at the last minute and to take advantage of the long weeks the previous one to go out, have fun or just relax. It’s a method that can sometimes work out of luck, but usually leads to failure. Start preparing for your exams as far in advance as possible . The baccalaureate, for example, is prepared from the start of the school year, university exams from the start of the semester. Even the highway code is being prepared for at least three months.
Properly organize your notes, summaries and index cards. Use separate notebooks for each subject and don’t skimp on colors to emphasize the important elements of each course. This concerns the form, as for the substance, you must summarize as many things as possible, but by not omitting any important detail, be concise when writing your sheets, but by including enough details so as not to miss it. of the essential.
ORGANIZE YOUR SCHEDULE
As said before, good preparation for an exam takes a lot of time and this time must be well organized . Define the number of hours, or even days or evenings of revision, that you devote to each subject, obviously favoring the most difficult, the most demanding subjects or those with the highest coefficients.
When setting your study schedule, resist the temptation to cut back on your sleep or play time to add an hour or more to your study time. Rest, relaxation and recreation are as crucial to your exam success as preparation is.
The organization of your review time should also include intermediate steps . Thus, you can set yourself a deadline of one month to finish the revision of such a chapter, or a week for such a course. By doing so, you keep control of your time and have a clear idea of the progress of your preparation.
Exercise Before Exam© istock
Sport helps to decompress, to clear your mind, but also to better assimilate what you have learned . The functioning of the mind is inseparable from that of the body, just like their well-being and their efficiency. So practice a regular sporting activity, at least once a week, to help your brain rest better and be more productive.
ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
In addition to practicing regular physical activity, you must also adopt a healthy lifestyle. This requires a good diet which must be rich and varied, with enough protein, carbohydrates, lipids. Also eat lots of fiber and favor foods that are said to be “brain friendly” such as foods rich in omega 3 . Many pupils and students are accustomed to taking dietary supplements or vitamins. Know that as long as you have a rich and balanced diet, you do not need these supplements which are only useful in the event of a real deficiency.
Also reduce your alcohol consumption which is harmful both for your physical health and for the functioning of your brain. Also decrease the amount of exciting drinks you consume per day, especially coffee or afternoon tea.
Instead, drink water, natural fruit juices, without adding sugar. Also eat lots of fruit . If you are one of the students or pupils who like to snack while revising, favor dried fruits such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts. These are healthy, as long as they are not too salty, and are even known to promote good brain function and improve memory.
