Examinations come around as often as the end-of-term holidays do! They are a reality that comes at you with full force. The trick with all of your examinations is to prepare for them. One may say that preparation is as, if not more, important as getting through the actual exam.
We get it though, you’re probably thinking, “Preparation can be super daunting,” especially when your subjects somehow pack all the information that exists on the entire planet.
Don’t worry about a thing, just breathe, you can do this!
How Do You Build A House? One Brick At A Time…
If you’re feeling the exam pressure build up inside, and you’re not sure where to begin just picture the EduOne team sitting with you right now, with a warm beverage in hand. Let’s start by asking you, “how do you build a house?” You may say, you first need to make sure that you have plans and then you may say, “one brick at a time.” Your answers are correct. It’s impossible for a house to be built in any other way. First, there are plans in place, breaking down the huge task and then it’s a brick by brick process.
This is how you prepare to tackle your exams: section by section and concept by concept. Certainly not all at once and you’ll always be given time to prepare.
One of your first bricks is your timetable. As soon as you get your exam timetable, take some time to write it down, or print it out. Once you have a timeline, you can slot your subjects into your own study timetable.
The best way to optimise your study time is by using a study timetable. We have got a free template for you to use. You can download it right here, right now. Ideally, you want to commit to at least 1 hour per day.
Break your subjects into sections and then slot them into your study timetable. When you have them slotted into a specific time, they will be easier to move through methodically. Make sure you also have a pleasant area to study; make it as comfortable and as practical as possible.
Past Exam Papers: Tried and Tested
Past exam papers are a great way to practice answering questions, as you go through your study material. You can get to know the tone of the examination questions, and you give yourself the opportunity to do some extra research if you need to. Testing yourself before an exam is a sure way to measure your knowledge!
Examinations: What NOT To Do
- Don’t get stuck on the more difficult questions.
It can be so easy to spend a lot of your examination time on the trickier questions. Nobody said you have to do all your exam questions in order. Rather make a mark next to the harder ones and then come back to them once you’ve gained confidence in answering the easier questions. - Don’t Procrastinate!
Find ways to focus on little bits of information during your set aside study time. Don’t leave a mountain of work for yourself the night or two before an important examination. Set time aside to study and then actually sit down and study. If you stick to your schedule, you’ll cruise through without even thinking about it twice. - Don’t study too late the night before, if you can help it.
Use that sweet precious time to rest, breathe and process or do something light-hearted and fun to give your brain a break. (This is advice that came from a teacher!) - Don’t be late for your examinations.
You just don’t need any extra pressure, so leave early if you need to, and make sure you’re ready and comfortable before your exam starts. - Don’t forget to eat good meals and get lots of water in your body.
Your physical health is really important, especially when you’re under exam pressure. Make sure you’re getting veggies and fruits in as well as some wholesome, hearty dinners. It’s also not a bad idea to take a study break, and to sit, eat and enjoy the flavours in your meals, your brain will appreciate the time to rest as your own kind of ‘mindfulness’ practice.
Overall, you will need to figure out what works best for you and set aside the structure you need to do it. All of us are totally unique, and that also means that our ways of studying for exams will be different too. Look after yourself, your time and your examination content, and you will absolutely rock your upcoming exams!
FundiConnect 2Cents
The best thing you could possibly do during examination season is to breathe, relax, plan it out and take it all in your stride. You will manage, we believe in you!
