In India, spring is synonymous to Exam time. At the fag end of winter season people are engulfed in a unique and crazy kind of fever called exam fever. The final exams at any level of academic journey is the test you give to check your year long leanings. The perception of exam and result is different for different people however in this blog I would be discussing the universal methodology to relive the exam stress and prepare you for the big day!

Before we move ahead, I have a very simple question to ask” Is life only about getting an A+ in all exams ,or is it much more than that?? Learning to me is understanding the concepts, inculcating the knowledge and then implementing it.

As a counselor and facilitator I have observed that the most anxious and confused lot of people during exam time are the students. They have their self goals to achieve, live- up to parents and teachers expectations from them and last but not the least deal with the peer pressure.

Planning and preparation is the key to success.

1. Set your goals. First thing is to understand what results you are targeting or to be specific how much marks or percentage you would like to get in the current examination and how it will help you to move towards your long term goal.
2. Prepare a time-table for your studies, prior to that check the available days with you and the subjects you need to study. According to your set goals  understand which subject needs more focus on and how you devote the available time to it.
3. It’s always better to get a feel of the type of questions that you might get on a particular topic, the paper pattern and the marks allotted to specific units. For this read some previous years question papers and get a hang!
4. Segregate the units on the basis of level of difficulty in understanding and answering. So it becomes easier for you to identify which units/ topics need  more focus or repetition.
5. The technique that works best for me is I start studying from the easiest lesson and then move on difficult lessons, it increases your confidence and grip on that particular subject.
6. Set a goal of studying at least two subjects in a day. One subject that you find easy and the other one should be the difficult one. Allot a ratio time of 1:2 hours to the two subjects as easy : difficult.
7. Word of caution finish the lesson that you have started in a stipulated time. This helps you to stay connected to the topic and understand the concept in a go. Intermediate shuffling might disturb the learning process.
8. Follow the technique of mind mapping and write the notes in the form of keywords or mnemonics.
9. Use these mind-maps, keywords and mnemonics while revising the topics. First revision should be within 24 hours8 days of first reading and the second should be within 15/20 days.
10. It is a good idea to revise using different books, journals and other sources rather than reading a same book all the time.

11. Numerical ability is one of the major employability skill in today’s corporate world. Dedicate at least an hour to enhance this skill set, everyday.
12. Whenever you are studying a particular topic, it is better to stay connected with Google, get as much reference material as you can and secondly watch videos related to it on YouTube to get a practical understanding of the concept.
13. All said and done with Google,do not divert from the major topic/concept while you are preparing for your exam. Study to the point to save loss of time while surfing aimlessly. (Always have syllabus in hand when studing.)
14. Healthy body is the key to healthy mind. Stay fit and energetic during preparation leave and actual exam time. Exercise or involve in some physical activity to keep lethargy at bay.. keep yourself hydrated and eat a balanced diet.
15. Average attention span of an adult keeps fluctuating and to take a break after every 45 minutes to an hour becomes mandatory. During this break you can listen to some soft music, meditate or exercise. You can talk to people who you feel can motivate you to stay focused or listen to some motivational videos.
16. In today’s technology driven world it is important for the younger generation to be online rather than focusing on the line( career) you have chosen. It’s important to stay connected and updated, dedicate some fixed time for your social networking activities. Do not check your phone on every notification. This is one of the major distraction on the block these days. (Stay away from tempting distractions)
17. Last but not the least..follow your timetable religiously. Implement it and see the difference.

Keep your self esteem high and try your best, it will surely help you achieve your goals. Each and every human has the most important organ, the brain how and how much you use it for your self goal actualisation really depends on your attitude. The most important issue is to have a coordination between brain and heart. As brain only helps in memorizing but when you use your heart as well it helps you to understand. What your brain reads and heart accepts is what education is all about .