Six Tips for a Successful Exam

عند الامتحان يكرم الرجل أو يهان

Exams are the most important part of the academic career of people. It is the examination in which an individual finds a great opportunity to prove his ability to do something. Exam is the process which repays the great efforts a student makes during the days of studies. It is the examination by which an individual in general and a student in particular either retains his glory and honor or has to face the stigma of disrespect. Abu Zaid al Sarouji, a famous character of Arabic literature in a literary sitting accepts a challenge by saying “عند الامتحان يكرم الرجل أو يهان” [At the time of examination, a person is either respected or disrespected]. In the following we are going to present you some interesting and helpful tips for preparations for exams which, if adopted, will enable every individual to make the toughest days of exams into a period of joy and entertainment. Here you go!

Get ready for exam before you face it!

1- Spare Enough Time for Study. 

It is a common bad habit of many students, including your truly, that they leave the matters till the last minute. And at the morning of exam day, they start regretting that why they did not study earlier because at the last minute nothing is helpful –if not possible. As a matter of fact, this approach cannot do anything positive to the student. The best approach, thus, is to prepare for the exam before it would come before you. At least you will be able to face that terrible few hours which you have to spend in the exam hall dealing with technical, rough and tough questions. If one does not prepare for exam before it comes, he will have only two chances. Either to play blindly and fails or cheat and take the guilt of doing so for the rest of his life.

Concentrate on your study

2- Isolate Yourself for a while in a “Study Zone” 

First of all it is necessary to make sure that you have a calm and healthy space to spend some time with your books and notes. Check whether or not you have proper light in your room. Examine whether your chair is comfortable or not. And above all delete all sorts of games from your computer and close down your facebook account for a couple of days in which you will be busy in the preparation for the exams. Remember, the computer games and facebook are the most distracting things from, and hurdles in, the study. It is important, to be able to spend some good time with your books, to create an environment which would enable you to do so and make you feel comfortable with your studies. In creating such environment people vary in nature. Some need a complete silence while the others are good in reading and picking the concepts up in the background music. Sort your nature out before creating the study environment and after settling all things down get ready and go ahead with your preparations.

Your notes are the best help

3- Start with your Own Notes 

Now once you are all set, start your studies with your own notes. If you are a regular and punctual student who is habitual of making notes, only careful study of notes can bring you successful in flying colors. If you are a lazy fellow, then you should find the “punctual buddy” and borrow his notes and read those notes in entirety. This is because, the majority of professors ask about what they have discussed –or in rare cases directed students to study- in class and these notes will help you in sorting out what would be asked about in the exam. Beginning your studies with your notes will enable you to determine what has been missed from you and what you have got. Now, arrange the missing material from a friend, library or internet. Reading the notes will also make you able to determine whether or not your concept is clear in particular matters. Now, you can further enhance your study in those matters in library or internet.

History repeats itself, so does question papers!

4- Solve Old Papers! 

It is widely believed –and generally happens- that the professors repeatedly ask about the same thing in different exams. That is why it would be more helpful to solve old exam papers in the preparations for the coming examination. This will, among many others, bring two major benefits. Firstly, if the same thing comes in exam, the student will be in sufficient possession of knowledge about the question and get brilliant numbers in the paper. Secondly, it will somehow enhance the knowledge of the student on the subject matter which will, in one way or the other, be helpful for the student in –and after- the examination. Furthermore, solving old papers will make the student familiar with the format of the exam papers however; the formats get changed frequently that is why the student should not completely rely on the old papers with respect to the format of the exam.

Don't for get to take a break!

5- Don’t Miss Regular Breaks 

Many students consider it to be the best way to study for as many hours they can, but actually this could be a disastrous approach of study. Like our body, our brain also needs rest and refreshment. So, if we take breaks in the physical games, like cricket, football, basketball and so on, we will have to provide rest of the mental labor. Now, what time should be fixed for break and which time will be better for study. People in this regard also vary from one to other. There are people who perform the best in the early morning. These people should get to be bed early in the night and rise from it early in the morning and after studying for various hours they should take rest at the time of lunch. Some others are night owls. These guys should have much rest in the morning and day time and spend the night with their books.

Your brain should be provided enough and appropriate food

6- Food for Brain 

Our nutrition does not affect only our bodies; it has an immense effect on the brain performance of ours. So, to keep your brain healthy and productive you need to take care of the food you digest which would have negative or positive effects on your brain. Thus, keep away from junk food and avoid smoking completely. Instead, try to eat nutritious foods which have been proved to be good for mental health. These foods include fish, nuts, seeds, yogurt and blueberries. Green tea also has some good impacts on the brain functions. You should always take care of your food but on the day of exam you should pay the most attention to the food you would have on that day. On that day, eat a good and healthy food before the test which would cause a slow release of energy throughout the exam. For that purpose fluids, like water and juices will be helpful as water is the component which will enable the brain to concentrate effectively.