Less than a day away from this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations, stress is at the forefront of struggles for every eligible candidate.
It is at this stage when a candidate must make sure that their health is not neglected besides focusing on any relevant last-minute revisions. Realistically speaking, now is not the time to revise the entire syllabus or listen to someone else’s advice and adopt any new methods.
Whether or not you have had some specific plan in action since the beginning of term is entirely up to you, but kicking this plan into motion the night before the exam would do more harm than good.
The stress may have you walking on eggshells, and you may think that studying is the best course of action, but it is actually not.
Powering through the entire night and trying to learn everything you have not learned throughout the term will not help as you may end up forgetting it on your way to the exam venue.
Instead, you must prepare yourself differently.
Invest in a pre-exam ritual
The most common mistake that candidates make is when they choose to stay up the entire night in order to cover a whole subject’s worth of syllabus. Avoid doing that and try to build a pre-exam ritual according to what suits you. Only go over the content you already know, and skim read your notes instead of working your way up through every single point. This will save you a lot of time and keep your stress in check.
Get enough rest
Getting a good night’s sleep, not necessarily the gold standard of eight hours, will work wonders for you. You will wake up feeling well rested which will help you to alleviate any nervousness during the exam. Your brain will work faster and you will be able to recall the information you have retained throughout the year.
Have a healthy dinner
Food is fuel for your mind and body. Therefore, it is important that you have a healthy dinner on the night before your exam. Protein packed foods and whole grains will also make sure you don’t have trouble falling asleep. Avoid having any sugar or processed foods which will only make you jittery. Make sure to remain hydrated as well.
Avoid caffeine
Since you should not pull an all-nighter before the exam, you must also make sure to avoid caffeine. Caffeine can be found mostly in coffee, tea. chocolates or some artificial flavourings. Beat this craving and you will not face any energy burnout the next day.
Pack carefully
You must always make sure to pack your bag with all the necessary materials the night before the exam instead of in the morning. You can make a small checklist and work your way through it to ensure that you have packed everything you could possibly need in the exam hall. Doing this in the morning may automatically send you to panic mode and cause you unnecessary stress. However, feel free to recheck before you step out the door to ensure that you have not missed anything the previous night.
Indulge in distractions to a certain degree
While it is important to take breaks and let your mind rest or revamp itself instead of revising for hours on end, you must not take very long breaks. Limit your screentime and do not go about binging multiple movies. Instead, step out of your room and engage in a light conversation with your family. If you are not in the mood for a conversation then simply go to the terrace for some fresh air. Feel free to listen to music that puts your mind at ease such as soft pop or Rabindra sangeet.
These are the simple tips you can follow in order to maintain your focus and remain calm the night before the exam. As long as you remain confident in yourself and follow all the rules and guidelines on the day of exam, nothing can stop you from getting the results you desire.
