How to Overcome Exam Phobia

Exams make us nervous. Whether it is a school exam or a written interview test, there are very few who can walk bravely, with calm and confidence, into an examination room. But you can become one of them, with perseverance and determination.

The first and most important thing is: study well. The number one reason for exam phobia is that the students haven't prepared well enough for the exams. Selective study is equally bad; you can't tell which questions will appear in the exams and which will not. The best course of action is to start preparations early, perhaps half and hour or one hour daily at least one month in advance, and stick to your reading schedule. Have a general idea of the course and the major points of the subject before you start studying with the exam in mind.

Secondly, take care of the little things that might make you panicked or disturb your peaceful mentality beforehand. Keep your pens (always have one backup pen), calculator and other instruments ready in your bag on the night before the exam. Do not eat too heavily on the exam morning; Keep your food light and healthy. And do not stay up all night before the exam even if you have a lot of studying left to do. Go through your notes in the morning instead. It would be a lot better to leave one or two questions on your exam paper than to write nothing because your mind is panicked and you do not remember what you had read. In a nutshell, think of everything you might need for the exam and keep those objects prepared the night before. This saves a lot of rushing and worrying on the day of the exam.

Do not over-hype the exam. An exam is not a death sentence, neither is it a punishment to be feared. It is just an assessment test to see how good your teachers have been in helping you learn the course. You have performed your duty by studying well for the exam and there are no consequences to be feared if you can't answer all the questions. This doesn't mean that you become careless, of course, but just that you mustn't waste your time and energy worrying on a difficult question. Mark the difficult question for later solving and start doing the remaining questions. Don't obsess on a single hard problem.

Listen to some peaceful music before beginning your study and before leaving for the examination hall. You can find a lot of calming music on YouTube by searching for search terms like 'peaceful music'. When you feel nervous, put on these songs, lie down on the bed and take a deep breath. Keep your eyes closed and feel the music soothe your nerves. If you feel nervous during the exams, you can use similar tactics by closing your eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to recreate the images that were formed in your mind while listening to the peaceful music.

For long term benefit, learn basic yoga and meditation. Learn breathing exercises that can help your control your breath if you hyperventilate or have erratic breathing during the exam. One exercise you can practice anywhere is to close your eyes and take a deep breath, filling your lungs to the brim till they feel completely full. Then hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale slowly and gratefully. Feel the peace and calm wash over you as your body relaxes and your mind clears.

Prepare well for the exams. I'm repeating this point because this is the best and most effective suggestion on this list. A little anxiety is normal but over anxiety and nervousness are directly or indirectly related to poor preparation. You should have an air of quiet confidence about you, which can only be gained by adequate preparation. If you want to become cool, calm and confident during the exams, then you need to start working from the beginning to reach that goal. Start studying from today so that you can reap the benefits during your exams and stand proud and tall during your results.