Things you need to remember before the exam!

Board exams are round the corner. I get a lot mails everyday from anxious students wanting to know how to go about preparing for board exams, how to study so that it stays in memory, how many hours should one spend on a single subject….the list is endless. All you class XII students facing the Board exams for the first time must be a bundle of nerves right now. Understandably so. There is after all so much ‘hype’ around this exam in student life that the anxiety sort of grips one and all. (Yeah, even parents can often be seen losing sleep over this approaching event weeks before the exams begin!).

In my earlier blog I have talked about the importance of having a time table to guide your study sessions, revising NCERT books thoroughly – each problem and each question, and have emphasized on the importance of understanding a concept rather than mindless cramming. Today I am going to remind you to pay heed to some of those things that you hear from well-wishing adults around you, but things that you are inclined to take lightly. So here goes my list-

On D-day

• Reach the examination centre at least half an hour before the start of the paper especially on the first day. This will help calm your nerves and also allow you to keep time for unexpected delay.

• A visit to the wash room before entering the hall to avoid a break in concentration during the exam might be a good thing to do.

• Enter the exam hall equipped with all that you will need- a geometry box, a pencil box with the required pencils, pens and eraser and something to tell you the time.

• Remember no written material is allowed in the exam hall. Check your pockets to avoid unnecessary checks by the invigilator and discard any unwanted paper right at the onset

• Time management is important

  • Make good use of the 15 minutes reading time

  • Read the question paper thoroughly.

• Keep 15 minutes at the end for revision. We tend to overlook this but a revision is very useful to spot questions/points missed, spelling errors or other careless mistakes.

• Attempt the paper in chronological order. Attempt questions for which you know the answers first, leaving suitable gaps for those you will attempt later.

• Presentation counts. So keep it neat and legible. It helps if you-

  • Underline the headings and main points

  • Leave a line or two after each answer

  • Use a pencil for the diagrams and label appropriately

• Focus on the exam/paper in front of you. If you find yourself thinking or getting worried about something else, (possibly the next exam) you will only waste precious time and minimize your chances of giving your best in this exam.

Write in to me at expert_payalkrishnan@meritnation.com for advice on how to deal with exam anxiety.

Cheers,

Payal Krishnan