As the board exams approach, the time has come for hard work, studying and revising your lessons. In the age of mobile phones and social media, what one lacks is solitude in the true sense of the term. How does one stay focused on his/her studies. Here are ten tips that will help one to do so.
First, change your perception of exams! For many of us exams instill fear and nervousness. They are like a burden or a hurdle that one has to cross. In other words exams are the price to achieve worldly success. WRONG! Quite the contrary, exams actually enrich our life experiences. One should approach examinations with a sense of thrill, like the exciting final match of a tournament. View exams positively. See them as an exciting challenge.
Second, keep an eye on your diet. Avoid rich, spicy or fatty food. These foods make you sluggish and lazy. Your mind becomes dull and you only wish to lie down on your bed, half asleep when you should be studying hard.
Third, limit your phone and social media interactions. Much of it is vain talk – something which you can do without during exam time.
Fourth, try to study in groups, at least twice a week. Often you learn and retain more by discussing with your fellow students than by memorizing yourself. Also, a weekly session with your friends help you to assess your progress – whether you are lagging behind or not.
Fifth, wake up early. Some people belief in burning the night lamp. That’s good for senior level scholars and researchers. At your age you should be focusing more on a sound sleep at night so that you are up and about early. Early morning studies add greater clarity and understanding.
Sixth, don’t study continuously at a stretch. This is a common mistake which most students commit. They rely on last minute preparations which basically mean mugging your lesson day in and day out two months before the exams. It is useful to take intervals every three hours and take a stroll or sip a cup of tea or coffee before you go back to your study desk.
Seventh, dissociate yourself from the nitty gritties of family life. Things like family events like marriages or family outings can make you lose your focus in a short time. Attending a family party for the evening can be distracting not so much due to the time lost – an evening’s gap from studies does not really do much harm. What is more worrying is the fact that it results in a break of concentration as you keep on thinking of the old friends and relatives you met at the party.
Eight, adopt a proper study plan instead of randomly picking up a subject for revision. Subjects like mathematics need daily practice. Keep an hour or two daily for maths and science. Tips for maths exam include regular practice, focusing on formulas, and solving past question papers to boost your preparation.
Nine, do not think much of the consequences of poor performance. Remember it is not the end of the world if your board exam results do not match your expectations. The world is a big place with opportunities galore and life is too long to be hampered by a single board exam.
And finally try to maintain a positive frame of mind while keep your expectations grounded. Make a realistic assessment of your abilities and interest levels in a particular subject and do not be burdened by the pressure imposed on your from outside. Its your life and you alone know best what you are suited for!
All the best!
