By Geeta Jain, Founder of Mediconation
National Test Agency (NTA) has postponed the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Many students are going to give NEET exam and they are very stressed and worried right now. Due to this Coronavirus outbreak, there are no school or coaching centers that are open in this lockdown, and the only option students are left with is online classes for NEET preparation.
Many teachers are taking online classes to make sure that students complete their courses and prepare well for exams. But many aspirants feel anxious and stressed while preparing for the most important exam of their life. A little nervousness is good for the exam as it pushes you to work hard in exams but if you’re feeling stress excessively that has consequences on your performance is problematic.
In dealing with this stress students often keep themselves awake the whole night and that affects their efficiency. All the students are having exam anxiety due to uncertainty about exam date, no access to coachings, performance pressure, parental expectation and much more.
The anxiety that occurs before any exam is exam anxiety but being this anxious and worried about the exam is worth it or not? Experts say that stress about the exam is okay but students need to understand that this lockdown is the best they can use for their own good. This time is the best they can start preparing from scratch for their exam. It’s the best way to revise your course thoroughly.
What is exam anxiety?
Students often experience a kind of fear or panic during or before an exam, this anxiety of exam or assessment is known as exam fear or anxiety. The students feel pressure on them about their performance in the exam. It’s a psychological condition in which students feel extremely stressed and anxious during exams and that affects their performance.
A little bit of nervousness is helpful in keeping you alert during exams and make you feel concentrated during exams and it’s even worth being worried for some time. With a certain level of this stress in the exam, you can handle a challenge and tricky question without worrying about the failure. But excessive fear and stress can make it worst and difficult for you to concentrate during exams. You can even go blank while writing your paper and you can do wrong in those questions that were very much easy for you. This inability in answering the easy question can make you feel more uncomfortable and stressed during the examination and that makes it very difficult for you to concentrate on the exam.
Some tips on how to prevent this exam anxiety
- Be prepared:
Just be 100% sure that you are prepared for your exam well. If you have any doubts about your preparation then don’t think of doing it later. There shouldn’t be regrets of procrastination later. After completing the course revise your course, again and again, to be more confident about it.
- Follow a time table:
At this time, being on a time table is very much important. Your daily routine with proper timings should be prepared. Get yourself enough sleep and give enough healthy diet. This will help you to concentrate more efficiently and will sharpen your memory before the exam.
- Stay away from distractions:
The big distraction is the cell phone and social media, it’s better to limit your time or get rid of these social media sites during these exam times. Just delete all the apps that are time-wasting and keep your concentration only on your studies right now. Also, find yourself a place in your house where you can study without any disturbance and distractions.
- Do not have any negative thoughts:
Before giving the exam and also after post-examination there shouldn’t be any kind of negative thoughts in your mind. Thoughts like “I’m not prepared” or “I’m not good enough” are self-doubting thoughts that come in our mind while we are preparing for the exam. Just push these thoughts away and stop doubting your worth. Keep positive thoughts in your mind like “I can do this” or “I’m prepared well” this can take you far in helping to manage stress and anxiety.