As the State Board of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations draw closer, students get busy making last-minute preparations.
Bogged down by a plenty of dos and don’ts, many students consider this part of the academic phase not only crucial but also quite stressful to experience as many of them are left with no other choice than to handle too many things at once.
To ease the burden of exam-going students, experts offer tips to cope with anxiety and manage stress with better preparation strategies.
An effective strategy does not mean that one has to spend long hours flipping through endless pages of classwork books and textbooks. “When exam preparations reach the fag-end, the focus should be more on the portion which has already been covered rather than the untouched syllabus. Getting a grip on what they have learnt and revising them boosts their confidence. Most importantly, they should stop comparing with their peers as it would eventually increase their stress levels,” says K. Satyanarayana, Director-General of Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response and Fire Services, who conducts motivational workshops and personality development classes for students.
In addition to providing nutritious home-cooked meal, experts say adequate sleep plays a key role in improving the retention capacity. “Inadequate sleep will only lead to irritability and poor concentration. This apart, deep breathing exercise relaxes the muscles and helps one stay calm. Especially the technique of inhaling through nose and exhaling through mouth, making a whistling sound work wonders to stay focused,” suggests Venkataramana Harilakshmi, clinical psychologist and director of Psychology Academy and Counselling Service.
Restrictions
Counselling psychologist and founder of Catalyst Counselling Centre Durvasula Sharvani observes that parents impose too many restrictions on their wards during exam season.
“Such restrictions will certainly leave a negative impact on young minds. It is better to let the students know the merits and demerits of skipping quality study hours and make them responsible rather than curtailing their freedom and invading their personal space. Communicating effectively and encouraging students to manage time will help them prepare well for the days ahead,” she notices.
