Calming nerves in the exam hall

Most of us have been in an exam situation. And with exam season starting… school, college and university students know they are only around the corner. Exams naturally bring a degree of stress and nervousness. Although it’s normal to be slightly nervous, there are some that experience being overly nervous, and this can affect exam performance in a bad way. Being too nervous can affect memory recalling concentration and other distractions during the exam.

Here are our effective ways to calm nerves when you enter that exam hall!

When you have taken your seat in the exam, there will likely to be a few hold ups such as everyone finding their seats and settling down. And it’s very easy at this point to get stressed and think negative thoughts, especially when the exam paper is in front of you. However, this doesn’t ease your mind during a test, instead, make a conscious effort to think positively about your abilities.

If you have put the effort in then reassure yourself with this, thoughts may cross your mind such as ‘there are a lot of questions in this paper, how am I going to know the answer to all of them’ but replace them with a positive thought such as ‘I know there are a lot of questions, but I will take them one-by-one and I will get through it’ you will stand a better chance of achieving higher as the right mindset allows you to accomplish anything.

There are many students that forget or even don’t take in a bottle of water to their exams. However, taking in a bottle of water can be something to help you relieve your nerves for short breaks. Many people become dehydrated when under pressure, so be sure to bring one so it doesn’t affect your performance!

When everyone is doing the same exam as you, it is tempting to look around and see others who seem to be breezing through the test. However, this will make you more stressed. No two people will look at an exam the same way and no one will start the same way. Do your best to focus on yourself and the paper in front of you, if you feel you need to take your eyes off the test for a moment close your eyes and breathe deeply a few times.

When you feel the nervous jitters coming, don’t freak out and don’t let them stop you or intimidate you. Remind yourself it’s natural and it’s just revving you up to get you ready. Always remember, it all comes down to you and how you manage the nerves to your advantage. Lots of students will be feeling the same way. The key is to relax, take deep breaths and remember your hard work will pay off!

Thank you for reading this Blog, let us know in the comments if you have found it useful!