Exam preparation tips for students

Exams can be a stressful time for all students, whether you are studying in school or university. Every student wants to excel because acquiring knowledge and great marks are thought to be important for ensuring a good career and future. Even parents get affected by examinations and the expectations pinned on their results.

The downside to this is that most students, instead of taking exams as a normal part of life, tend to take excessive stress around final exams. This happens especially with student writing high stakes papers like entrance exams to medical or engineering colleges, CAT, SATS, IELTS and board exams - whether they are studying in state board, CBSE or ICSE schools. The pressure to perform can get unbearable for a lot of students, and this leads to negative health outcomes - including depression, loss of self-esteem and even suicide in extreme cases.

This is the reason why taking exams in your stride is important. It’s crucial to remember that exams - and their equivalent targets, presentations and deadlines, no matter what your profession - are going to be part and parcel of your entire adult life. Even interviewing for a job after completing your education is like appearing for an exam, and so are making successful presentations and being an ideal employee or employer.

So, the best thing you can do is to learn how to cope with exam pressure and stress early on. Instead of looking at exams with fear and resorting to cheating, taking drugs, or taking your own life, you can learn how to enjoy exams. After all, exams are meant to evaluate how much you’ve learnt in a given period of time and to promote healthy competition among peers. Here is everything you need to know about exam preparations and tips to excel at them.

Tips for board exam preparation
Tips to reduce stress during exams
Tips to improve concentration during exams
Diet during exams
Exercise during exams
Asking for help during exams

Tips for board exam preparation

In the Indian school education system, two board exams are held: one at the end of 10th standard and the other at the end of 12th standard. These two sets of exams hold special status, because the first indicates which specialisation you can take in senior school (or junior college, based on state education rules), and the second one indicates which college and university degrees you can apply for. Because a lot rides on them, students tend to take extra stress around and during their board exams. Instead of taking stress, try adopting the following tips to prepare for your board exams.

Read more: How to deal with exam stress

Don’t take any medications

You might think that certain over-the-counter or popular prescription drugs that improve concentration and alertness are helping you deal with exams better by helping you stay awake and cram more.

On the contrary, these drugs can do you long-lasting harm. A study published in Harm Reduction Journal in 2017 showed that the use of "study drugs" like Adderall, Ritalin, Focalin and Concerta increase risk factors for issues like low perceived self-efficacy (or enjoyment from studying), poor accommodation of special needs, reliance on external validation, having low scores (instead of increasing them) and mental health issues.

Instead of relying on medicines to help you, unless you have a serious health issue that needs medicinal therapy, it’s best to enjoy your subjects and rely on proper nutrition and exercise to keep you attentive.

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Create a timetable and stick to it

Exams are all about preparing the right way. So, create a schedule or timetable well before your exams and stick to it. Apportion equal attention to all subjects, but feel free to give more time to subjects you think you’re weaker at.

Do remember to tailor the timetable to your own needs and pace. Your syllabus might appear too huge to cover in one go, so take it slow and steady. Study every day, and take it one day at a time. If you’re diligent with your timetable, you will get it all done, and maybe even with time to spare.

Doctors actually advise revision as a way to retain information. Here's one formula you can try:

Prepare cue cards on the day you study a topic.
Revise the topic on Day 3 after studying it.
Revise the topic again after a week of studying it.
Revise again after 15 days.

The reason for this is that our brain sorts information while we sleep and retains what it thinks is important. By revising multiple times over a longer period of time, we improve retention and, therefore, recall!

If you don't have 15 days before the next exam, don't panic. Shorten the waiting period between revisions to fit your time frame. Remember that stress reduces your ability to focus and retain information. So try not to worry, and focus all your energy on gaining as much knowledge as you can in the time that you have.

Prepare a study area

To prepare for exams properly, you need to be focused. But if your study area is full of distractions, you might lose your concentration more easily. So, prepare a special study area with minimal distractions.

You don’t need to make it overtly uncomfortable, but remember to select a table and chair instead of studying on your bed. Studying on your bed or a recliner might increase lethargy and hinder concentration.

Choose your learning style

It’s very important to remember that every student has their own methods of learning. Some students learn better from classes, while others do better with self-study. It’s important to introspect and understand which method you’re most comfortable with. The following are the three basic types of learners:

Auditory learners learn best by listening. Read your notes out loud, discuss your notes with others, and you can also record your notes on a phone or computer and listen to them.
Visual learners learn best by seeing. Use colours to code your notes, draw diagrams and charts to make learning easier - you can even use the walls of your study room to increase the visual impact.
Tactile or kinesthetic learners learn by doing. Try practical experiments and role-playing techniques, etc., to learn better.

Don’t worry about forgetting

If you’ve chosen a good study strategy and stuck to it well enough to revise every subject in time, you should not be worried about forgetting those lessons. Stressing about forgetfulness is normal, but trying a few things like meditation, getting enough sleep and eating properly before and during exams can help you cope with this worry much better.

Read more: What to do on exam day

Pace yourself

Instead of staying up all night to cram or rote-learn your subjects, you should pace yourself and focus on learning lessons properly. This will also help you retain your lessons better and minimise forgetfulness and silly mistakes. Take adequate meals and exercise breaks during your study routine. This will refresh your mind and help improve your cognitive abilities.

Doctors recommend the 45-15 rule: 45 minutes of focused study followed by 15 minutes of rest - use this time to go to the loo, grab a healthy snack like a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds or a bowl of papaya instead of going on social media or engaging in any activity that could cause you to exceed the 15-minute break period.

Find time to de-stress

Exams can be very stressful, which is why you need to figure out de-stressing mechanisms that work best for you. Listen to music, go for a morning walk, play with your friends or siblings, meditate, do yoga - you have plenty of options to choose from. The important thing is to remember that if you don’t take some time off, even for 10 minutes, you will intensify the stress and make the learning and revision process more overwhelming.

Happily, there are simple ways to destress. Try abdominal breathing for five minutes if you start panicking. Do it like this:

Lie down comfortably on a mat or on a bed.
Place one hand on your stomach, just under the ribs.
Breathe in deeply through your nose and try to push your hand out with your stomach.
Hold your breath for a few seconds and exhale slowly.
Do this for 5 - 10 minutes, till your breathing slows down and you start feeling more relaxed.

Get proper food and sleep

Neither your brain nor your body can sustain without food and sleep. Eating the right types of food can help improve your cognitive abilities. What’s more, they can protect you from infections, as stress lowers your immunity during the exam months.

Sleep works the same way because your cells need 7-8 hours of it every day to regenerate cells in your brain and body. A study published in PLoS One, a peer-reviewed journal, in 2012 found that adequate sleep improves procedural and declarative memory, both of which can help you navigate through exams and improve your performance in them.

Focus on the next goal

If, even after trying your best, you do not perform as well as you expected to in a subject, do not let it diminish your motivation. Remember that making mistakes is quite normal, and as long as you learn from them and do not repeat them, you’ll be fine. Instead of obsessing about the answers you got wrong in one exam, focus on doing well in the next subject and minimise mistakes in the future.

Tips to reduce stress during exams

Yes, exams can be stress-inducing, and that stress can affect your physical and emotional well-being - both during and after exams. Exam stress can be quite crippling for some students, and no matter how hard you try, stress is bound to reduce your cognitive abilities and affect your scores. Here are some tips you should use to reduce stress during exams:

Stay away from social media during exams. Being active on your favourite platforms doesn’t just drain your time but can also induce more stress.
Focus on time management through a timetable or schedule instead of worrying about loss of time. Include some time to relax, eat and sleep in this timetable.
Sleep well, because if you don’t, your stress levels will shoot up while your body and mind will feel weaker. Stay away from this vicious circle of stress and lack of sleep by getting 7-8 hours of sleep every day.
Take some time out for exercise. Not only will it keep you physically fit and flexible, but also refresh your mind, aid learning and help you get better sleep. In short, exercise increases brain power.
Meditate and practise breathing exercises, especially if you feel a panic attack coming on. Taking a step back and breathing will supply adequate oxygen to your brain, relax you and keep stress at bay.
Don’t isolate yourself before, during or after exams. Loneliness can induce stress, so take time out to engage with parents, family members, siblings and pets during exams.

Read more: Ayurvedic remedies for anxiety

Tips to improve concentration during exams

The greater your concentration, the better your exam results - this is something you should remember, but not stress about during exams. Use the following tips to improve concentration levels during exams:

Minimise distractions by keeping phones and other electronic equipment away.
Keep all your necessities handy so that you don’t get distracted while studying. Stock your study room with water, notes, pens, paper, etc.
Eat healthy snacks, like nuts and seeds, berries and fruits, to keep yourself energised. These brain foods improve concentration levels and also provide energy to fuel your studies.
Find a study time that suits you best. While mornings are considered the best time to study, you should regulate your sleep-study times according to your comfort.
Go for short and brisk walks. Walking will quickly refresh your mind.
Get enough sleep, because your body and brain need adequate rest to sustain you through exams.
Drink water and other fluids to keep yourself hydrated. A dry mouth and dehydration will affect your concentration levels and lead to headaches and irritability.

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Diet during exams

According to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nutricion Hospitalaria in 2018, the brain needs a continuous supply of amino acids, folic acid, vitamins and antioxidants to synthesise neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters, like serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine and glutamate, can improve your memory, focus and concentration, while uplifting your mood and keeping stress at bay.

This is the reason why it’s very important to eat a balanced diet during exams. A lot of students feel that heavy meals can induce sleep and disrupt their study routine around exams. While this might be true, your body still needs nutrition to survive. Hence, it’s best to take short, frequent meals consisting of foods rich in all the vital nutrients you need. It’s also important to remember that eating unhealthy snacks during exams, while enjoyable, can lead to weight gain, indigestion, lethargy, loss of focus, excessive sleep, etc.

Include the following brain foods in your diet before, during and after exams:

Berries, like strawberries, blueberries, cranberries - dried, unsweetened ones, if you can’t get fresh fruits.
Green tea and black tea, which are rich in antioxidants. Avoid milk and sugar if you can.
Eggs, because they are cheap and rich sources of proteins and amino acids.
Nuts, like walnuts, almonds, cashews, etc. These are rich in fibre, vitamins, protein and antioxidants.
Seeds, like flaxseeds, chia seeds, etc. They are as rich in nutrients as nuts.
Fatty fish varieties like salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and tuna - which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic, cloves and cardamom, etc., are also rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Turmeric, which has curcumin, is also known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and analgesic (painkiller) properties. It boosts your defence against infections, at a time when exam stress can reduce your body's natural immunity.
Chicken or mutton liver, which is rich in iron, protein and vitamins, can also improve your memory and concentration levels.
Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. It also boosts metabolism and improves alertness and cognitive abilities.
Try eating foods rich in the amino acid tryptophan to sleep better through the night. Some of these foods are fish, eggs, seeds such as pumpkin seeds, soy products like soybeans and tofu, and yoghurt. Tryptophan helps in producing serotonin - the happiness hormone - which also helps to prevent depression.

Exercise during exams

According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, a peer-reviewed journal, in 2018, physical exercise induces structural and functional changes in the brain and improves cognitive functioning and well-being. Getting adequate exercise during exams is very important to refresh your mind and improve your memory, focus and concentration levels.

Exercise is also very important during exams because sitting and studying in one or two postures can cause stiffness and muscle pain. This, in turn, can be very distracting and hamper your exam preparations. No matter how busy your exam schedule, get some exercise and follow these tips:

Get up and stretch at least once every hour. This will reduce stiffness of muscles.
Go for a brisk walk. This will get your adrenaline pumping, refresh you and help you retain your lessons better.
Practise yoga to improve full-body flexibility, stimulate your internal organs and improve cognitive function.
Dance while listening to your favourite songs for 10-15 minutes a day. This will uplift your mood, make you happier, give you a good dose of cardio and make studying more enjoyable too.
Play indoor sports like chess, carrom, scrabble, etc., which improve concentration levels and cognitive function. However, avoid these if you are very competitive and likely to get more stressed while playing these games.
Play light outdoor sports like badminton, table tennis, tennis, swimming, jogging, cycling, etc., so that you can get some exercise.
Make sure you don’t engage in contact sports that could cause injury.
No matter which sport or exercise you engage in, remember to stay hydrated, eat well, and get enough sleep too.

Read more: How to get rid of neck pain

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Asking for help during exams

If exam stress and the fear of not doing well become too crippling, you should ask for help. There is nothing shameful about reaching out to your loved ones or mental healthcare professionals if you are too stressed and plagued by negative thoughts. Remember, everyone deals with stressful events differently and so, everyone should be able to come up with coping mechanisms that suit them with proper guidance.

Here are a few things you can do:

Share your feelings with your parents. Be open about the pressures you are facing and ask them to help you cope better.
Talk to your friends, peers and siblings. They have or will go through exams themselves, and can share tips that may suit your situation, too, as they know you well.
Communicate with your teachers, especially if they teach subjects you’re especially worried about. They can allay your fears and give you pointers about topics you don’t recall well.
Reach out to a mental health professional if you feel isolated or if you feel you cannot properly communicate your distress to friends or family or if you feel that they just can't understand what you are going through. This could be a counsellor at school, a psychologist at your hospital or healthcare centre nearby, or a trained professional you can connect with on the internet (make sure to check their credentials).