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In preparation for exams, we as students face many problems and challenges. A common difficulty for many is being easily distracted when attempting to study. Your brain can only take one thing consciously, at a time. Your attention therefore can flick from one thing to another very easily and when you
have a task to do, it can be frustrating how these distractions take over.
Students tend to be motivated towards pleasure and away from pain. When studying isn’t the most pleasurable activity, your brain looks around for other things.
So I would encourage you to make a list of the most common distractions you have. List them in order of “most pleasurable” at the top to “least pleasurable” at the bottom. Naturally tend go for the most pleasurable one first. Now identify it as a reward to yourself for doing some effort in your studying.
Before you start an exam preparation, commit to doing a short concentrated period of effort but offer yourself the most pleasurable distraction for a reward after you have completed the effort. Notice how your brain will hold your attention.
The other thing is that as students who are about to face the exams, we have to reduce our screen time. From my O-Level experience, I noted that my concentration at night was poor because l spent most of my time on television and chatting on social networks.
Some students complain that they don’t concentrate well because of feeling sleepy during what should be their study times. One of the reasons could be because of the bright light from phones, tablets and laptops screens being used prior to sleep time.
From my O-Level experience, I also learnt to control my thoughts on things I have no direct control over like what the future holds. Worry is created because you are thinking of the future with concern. Because your thoughts, emotions and body all work together, the future focused thoughts create emotions that release stress which makes your body tense.
If you tend to worry a lot, ask yourself, where am I now? In this moment, take some deep breaths and focus your attention on your breathing. If you are in bed, try moving your attention to your feet then slowly move it up through your body as you breathe deeply. By bringing your attention back to the present, your worries will disappear and you will feel better.
Here is a list of some exam tips:
1. Give yourself enough time to study, don’t leave it until the last minute. While some students seem to strive on the last minute ‘’cramming”, its widely accepted that for most of us, this is not the best way to approach the exam. Set up your timetable for your study.
2. Maintain a healthy diet with plenty of water
3. Take regular breaks and enough sleep time
4. Practise with past exam papers
5. Plan your exam days concisely, make sure you get everything ready well in advance including getting to the venue.
GOOD LUCK!!!
The writer is an Upper Six Commercials learner at Corpus Christ High
Online Reporter