Six Steps to Overcome Exam Fever

Imagine falling asleep in one lecture session and waking up in the middle of the next lecture sitting. That would be a recipe for disaster during exam period. Students resort to extraordinary ways to excel in exams and suffer exam fever. You’ve heard of students who study standing. You know students who study sitting with their feet in cold water to wade off sleep in preparation for examination. There is hardly a student who doesn’t get panic attack during the period leading to exams. You can overcome exam fever by taking six steps.

Step One: Purpose

What do you want out of life?  Most students simply drift along with the crowd from one stage of academic level to the next. If you’re aware of the purpose for which you’re in school, college, university, you would make time and study well in advance in preparation for exams. You also need to know that each step in academic studies is a stepping stone towards achieving your goal in life.

Step Two: Plan

“No one plans to fail, many fail to plan,” you’ve heard it said. Your brain is capable of duplicating activities in the physical world; you plan in the invisible mind. Exam outcome mirrors your study plan. Have a study schedule in your plan of action which includes time frame for different subjects, short breaks, sufficient sleep and social life.

Step Three: Positive Mental Attitude

You sabotage your progress by placing roadblocks in academic studies.   All ideas good or bad are manufactured in the mind.  If your mind is preoccupied by failing in the exam that is the outcome you’ve programmed the mind to produce.  However, if positive mental attitude runs the length and breadth of your brain, success is assured. You’ve 100% unique brain power with unlimited potential to blast through the brick wall of exam. “What you can achieve is only limited by what you dream,” Richard Rutan said.

Step Four: Practice

You’re under false impression Mathematics is for genius students.  If so, you’ve put a lid over your ability to master mathematics subject. Scientific research has revealed that most people only use 5% of the brain power.  You can tap into the 95% underutilized brain potential through practice to shine in all subjects of study during exams.  “Practice makes you perfect.”  Nothing is achieved without work including passing exams with flying colors.

Step Five: Pay Attention to Details

You run the risk of overlooking details in the exam paper when you’re uptight before and during exams.  Learn to relax under exam pressure. You’ve revised your notes, and practiced with past exam papers. Focus on the task ahead by visualizing on positive outcome as you pay attention to details to stimulate your success steam.

Step Six: Pause to Reflect

You’ve taken the first five steps to overcome exam fever.  You need to pause and reflect on six specific exam considerations.

• Read the instructions on exam papers carefully.
• Write your name clearly on the answer sheet(s).
• Mark questions you’re sure of as you skim through exam papers.
• Start with questions you’ve confidence answering with ease.
• Spend equal time on each question.
• Go over your answers before handing in the exam paper.

Whether you sit for end term, semester, final exam for graduation, the above mentioned six steps will assist you to overcome exam fever.