Write a report for publication in your school magazine on the topic how to face the examination with confidence.
Answers
Explanation:
Think positively. Scientific research has shown that our expectations can affect our performance. If you expect to do well on the exam, you will still have to study; but if you expect to do poorly, studying may not be enough to help you do well.
Practice self-affirmation - the process of transforming your thoughts to focus on the positive and downplay the negative. For example, remind yourself that you worked hard to prepare for this test.
Challenge your negative thoughts. For example, if you think that doing badly on the exam will ruin your life, tell yourself that this is not true. Then replace that thought with a more accurate one - failing a test may hurt your grade, but it’s not the end of the world.
If you’re having a hard time quelling negative thoughts, try distracting yourself using humor. Watch a funny movie or TV show, read a funny book or comic. You can even try to remember all of the jokes you know. Maintain perspective. Remind yourself that your grade on this one test will not determine your success or failure in life. Even an extremely important test such as the bar exam can be taken again if you don’t pass.
Research shows that some anxiety can actually help your test performance. Remind yourself that manageable levels of anxiety can increase your alertness and energy.
To combat anxiety that arises when you’re first given the exam, make sure to read over the entire test before beginning. Look for “easy” questions - when you’re prepared, you shouldn’t have trouble finding them. Finding the questions you’re sure you know the answers to will help to remind you that you do know the material. Visualize success. While you’re studying, imagine yourself taking the test and answering the questions with confidence. Imagine yourself getting the test back with the grade you want. While visualization can’t replace preparation, it can help you to feel more confident, which can improve performance.
Visualization works because your brain and body react to visualization as if you were actually experiencing the event you’re imagining. Your brain forms and strengthens connections as a result - in this case, between test taking and success.
Calm your body. Fear releases adrenaline, preparing the body to deal with danger. Your heart rate and breathing speed up and you may feel shaky, sweaty, and/or dizzy. Anything you can do to counteract these physical reactions will help you think more clearly and feel more confident. Remember to use these techniques during the test.
Don’t skip breakfast to study. Make sure you eat something an hour or two before taking the test. Choose protein-filled snacks and avoid sugar, which can give you quick energy that may run out in the middle of the exam.
If the test is later in the day or the evening, or if you just couldn’t get a full night’s sleep, take a nap. Research has shown that a short nap - less than an hour - can improve alertness, memory, creativity, productivity, and mood, and can decrease stress.