10 tips for exam day to help you ace your exams
Exam days can bring forward a lot of emotions and the concept of doing an exam may leave you anxious.
To help alleviate this and to help you ace your exams, we have created a list of 10 tips for exam day to help you stay calm, focused and stress-free.
1. Get enough sleep in the days leading up to the exam
Not only is sleep important for our health but to prepare properly for your exams, you must be able to concentrate and focus which is why getting enough sleep in the days leading up to the exam is crucial.2. Don’t leave revision until the night before
Don’t leave revision for an exam until the night before. You may be studying a year’s worth of content and there is no way to retain all that information in one night, especially if you are anxious about the exam the next day.Give yourself plenty of time and revise early for the best results in your exams.
3. Drink plenty and make sure you eat your breakfast/lunch
Never go into an exam on an empty stomach. When exam day does finally come around, make sure you wake up early and have a filling breakfast.
If your exam is in the afternoon, ensure you are not hungry by having your lunch as well, even if you must have it earlier than you would normally would to be ready for your exam.
4. Wear comfortable clothing on the day of the exam
When you go into an exam, comfort is key. Make sure what you are wearing is comfortable. Being comfortable allows you to focus all your attention on answering the exam questions which is an important element to success.
5. Double check you have everything you need before you leave the house
Before you leave your house, make sure you have EVERYTHING you need.
Double and triple check that all your pens have enough ink in them and that if you need equipment such as a calculator or ruler, that you have these prepared and in your bag to take with you.
6. Leave the house in plenty of time
When you leave the house on exam day, make sure it is in plenty of time.
You don’t want the day you have to be at college early for an exam to be the day the traffic decides to be a nightmare. Leave yourself plenty of time and arrive at college earlier than you would normally to put yourself in the best position.
7. Don’t try and cram just before the exam
It can be very tempting an hour before the exam to cram in as much revision as possible but what you don’t know just before the exam, you won’t know in the exam hall. Instead of putting that pressure on yourself, try to relax and focus on going in with the right mindset.
8. When in the exam hall, focus on you
The exam hall can be a daunting place but the important thing to remember is that nobody and nothing else in that room matters while you are completing an exam.
You may want to look around to see how everyone else is doing but this will not help you and is likely to distract you from what should be your only focus – completing your exam.
9. Use all the time available to you
If you ‘finish’ your exam early, it might be tempting to put down your pen and leave the exam hall early but don’t do this! Inspiration can strike at any time, even if its ten minutes before the exam ends.You don’t want to leave the hall and instantly regret it, thinking about all the things you could have added in the time you had left. Hold out until the end and write as many points as you can, it could be the difference between a passing and failing grade.
10. After the exam, treat yourself
So, you have just finished an exam… treat yourself!Whether your version of a treat is sweet, savoury, or digital in nature, rewarding yourself for getting through the exam is important, however you think you did.
Have you read our blog for becoming a pro at revision? Find it on www.hughbaird.ac.uk/blog
