Building the bridge of success By Yasmeen Khalid Head of the department, English Al Mowhiba International School, Jeddah What a thief is to a police, what a mice is to a cat, examinations are to students! But, practically we have to understand that examinations are not meant to be taken so that the students burn the midnight oil and cram heavy books all the time, rather they are held to inculcate the sense of knowledge, education, discipline, manners and many other things which are very much far away from the sight of a learner. Saying the word “final” is usually enough to bring a dreadful silence over a classroom. Final examinations can indeed be scary. Of course, if you are facing a huge exam you may need to study prior to the exam date, but my point is that if you are most effective by getting up at the crack of dawn on the day of the test day and doing bulk of your work then, it's not just procrastination, it's being smart! Studying ahead of time and getting a good night's sleep before an exam are two good ways to defuse stress and do well. Here are some handy ideas that can assist you gain excellent scores. l Begin studying in advance. l Prepare the timetable based on difficulty level of the subject and follow the same honestly. l Keep in touch with subject teachers for clearing your doubts. l Make short notes of the topics, which would enable you to revise the topics before the examinations l Go through the weightage of the units and prioritize the topics accordingly. l Practice previous years question papers. l Keep the mind tension free. l Arrange small tests and check time managements. l Don't prolong studies, take short breaks. l To prevent mental fatigue, take a short break as soon as you notice your mind is losing concentration. Stick to activities that do not break your study continuum during these breaks. l Avoid television and loud music.You will then be able to come back to your revision refreshed. l Follow proper diet and ensure that you are physically fit. It is important to relax. Your mind and body perform at their best only if you get adequate rest. l Over prepare: Don't confuse over preparing with cramming. l Wear a watch so that you can manage time on your own. l Map out your work: When your teacher talks about the exam, make sure that its clear how each part will count toward the whole l Don't panic: It's important to stay calm in order to focus. l Avoid negative thoughts, such as ‘Everyone else seems better organized, while I'm struggling.' Challenge such thoughts with positive thinking; for example, ‘I have done well in exams before.' l Pray before you start studying: Prayer will help you increase confidence and reduce stress. Believe in yourself and “practice as if you are the worst and perform as if you are the best” and soon you will find yourself surrounded by a bunch of successful people where your hard work would be crowned by the glory of your success. As this semester comes to an end I'd like to extend best wishes to all readers contending with exams. God gives every bird a worm but he does not throw it into the nest. So it is up to us to always keep the bridge of success under construction!!!! __
