Exam time!

Exams. Love them or hate them, you just can’t hide from them. Exams are a fact of life and everybody at some point will have to take an exam. In the academic world, May and June are full of exams. Exam stress can be real, so in this post we look at ways to prepare for this big event.

Ideally, you should prepare for an exam by looking at your schedule and getting a ‘study plan’ organised.  You should review and revise what you have learned on a course to be prepared for the exam you are taking. To help with this make sure that you create regular time slots in your schedule and decide exactly what you will need to study to be prepared.

For example, if you are taking an English exam you may have to write an essay. To prepare for this, use your time slots to revise the grammar and vocabulary you have learned during the course. Look at the writing that you did on the course and make a note of any corrections or advice that the teacher gave you about your writing. Practice making essay plans and writing texts under timed conditions. Don’t forget to practice editing your work and checking it for errors.

On the day of the exam you should be well rested so make sure you get lots of sleep. You will need to think clearly. Get to the exam in plenty of time. If you are stressed, do some deep breathing (yoga style) to remain relaxed.

In the exam, think about your timing. For an English exam you want to have enough time to make sure you read the questions through carefully so that you understand exactly what you have to do. If you are writing an essay, make a plan and a rough draft. Make sure you have time at the end to read it through and look for any errors.

If you are rested and prepared, you will be able to do your best!