How to cope with exam stress: Tips from expert

Here's a quick guide that can help you sail through your exams.

Exams and stress go hand in hand. However, planning the schedule well in advance and properly can help you to deal with the last minute hustle and bustle. If you are anxious or stressed out before exams, which is quite common, then here are few tips to help you out. Dr Samir Parikh, Director, Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare reveals a quick guide that can help you sail through your exams without any trouble. Also read expert tips on how to study smartly during exams.

• Make a study schedule with regular, focussed and well-spaced sessions. Evaluating yourself with self-tests not only eases the pressure but also helps you to focus on the parts where you need improvement.
• Stay healthy with a good diet and plenty of physical activity. Get plenty of sleep, at least 7-8 hours every night. Take out time for leisure activities. Here are few expert-recommended tips to deal with exam stress.
• Talk to your friends about everything, but studies. Relax and engage in positive discussions.
• Do not make comparisons between your work and others . Revise thoroughly but don t overdo it.
• Avoid frantic last minute revisions as it leads to confusion and stress. Try to minimise the waiting time outside the hall. Tell yourself, I am prepared. I will do well .

If you are stressed out in the exam hall, do not panic. Remember that feeling anxious in the examination hall is normal. In the meanwhile, here are few tips on how to deal with it as you settle down and compose yourself.

• Try a quick relaxation technique - take a few deep breaths.
• Read the question paper calmly and plan out your time. There is no need to hurry. It s not a race.
• If you don t know an answer, leave it for later and try the next one. Leave some extra space after each answer for adding content later.
• Don t be bothered by the number of sheets others are taking. Focus on your content and leave some time for revision. Here are few ways to survive the exams.

In addition to these, there are few things you should never do after exams that can up the stress. These include not getting involved in discussions about the question paper, not worrying about what you may have missed out or could have written differently. Once you reach home, take a break and relax at home and resume studies only when you feel comfortable.

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