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It’s exam time, often a time of stress and tension. Next week we’ll give you some support in dealing with that stress and finding the grit you need to get you through, but for now it’s about the practical stuff: how to give your absolute best when you sit down with the paper.
Before you get to the exam venue, you have to look after your mindset throughout these weeks of study and exams. Try not to get caught up in the emotional whirlwind that can spring up in this time. Avoid nervous chatter with others who are just as tense as you are. Focus on yourself, your time, your studies. Keep to a regular, productive schedule. Start every day with a few minutes of quiet time. Get enough sleep.
Now: some practical tips.
- Check the venue and time the day before the exam.
- Get up early and be at the venue with time to spare.
- Do not talk to panicky students around you. Go to the toilet before the exam starts.
- Plan your time: when you get your paper, read all the questions and see how many marks each one represents. Make a rough outline of how much time to spend on each question. You don’t want to spend half your time on something that can only earn you 10 marks out of a hundred.
- Start with what you know best. You do not have to answer the questions in order. Leave the things you are less sure of for last. Give yourself a moment to compose your thoughts before you start writing your answer. Be clear and concise.
- Try and keep your handwriting legible.
- Ask the invigilator (the person who supervises the exam) for help if you are not clear on a question. He or she will tell you if you are asking something they are not allowed to say. Don’t waste time worrying if you should ask, just do it.
- Keep an eye on the time. Don’t spend more time on a particular question/section than it’s worth, or you may run out of time and lose all the marks allocated to the later questions.
- Use every minute of the available time. If you finish early, review your answers before handing in your paper.
How to allocate your time
- Divide the total number of minutes you have into quarters, i.e. divide it by four. A three-hour paper = 180 minutes = 4 x 45 minutes.
- Divide the total number of marks into quarters. 300 marks = 4 x 75.
- Then you can track your progress: When the first quarter of the time is over, you should have answered questions worth a quarter of the marks; halfway through the time you should have done questions for half the marks, etc.
Good luck in the exams.
We’re all rooting for you. Yes, you can!
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