It's exam time once again. And everyone's attention is on the class X student next door. When darkness envelops the whole world, a small flickering light from a distant window continues to glow at an unearthly hour. As a sheet of orange canvas shoots across the sky, you see a small head emerging from a pile of notebooks. The table lamp casts a halo round his head. He cups his face and yawns — a long one wondering about his inevitable exams next month.
Just then mom comes with a steaming cup of coffee to rejuvenate the sleepy mind, for along with the students moms too go through the nerve-wrecking moments of anxiety during exam time. This moving gesture is quite unavoidable every year during February-March with some mothers working 24X7 for their children. Making hourly rounds during study hours, cooking indelible snacks during study breaks or just sitting around and cracking jokes with their loved ones are few of the pre-exam syndrome of anxious mums. The agonizing scene behind those piles of books is a common sight - some frowning, some scratching their heads in discomfort and some just staring blankly into the sky. When all you need is a sharp mind to just bottle up the endless pages of the textbooks, memory seems to be reduced to a sieve!
In some houses, it's a curfew-like situation during exams. Take for instance, Sakshi. Belonging to the envied category of the `brilliant-ones', she will take the `crucial' Std. X exam in a few weeks time. But more than the actual 3-hour exam tension, it's the fear of going through the excruciating pre-exam days that makes her nervous. Mom, dad, granny and uncles - everyone is ready with their bagful of advice and suggestions. So for Sakshi right now, it's all work and no play. "After all she has to come in the merit list," says her anxious mom while keeping an eye on her study desk.
Different strokes
However, it's not the same story everywhere. The students who believe that they belong to the `average' brand are the most interesting types. Some spend half their time in awe of the `brainy people' and try to imitate them. Some don't make any desperate effort to excel and nonchalantly go through the motions. For V. Karthik, things are cool! There are no rules and no late night studies. He believes that last minute mugging up is of no use. "Ultimately, I know my limitations. I've been an average scorer throughout. Now suddenly I won't become wise or come in the merit list," he says. His parents too feel that it is how you perform in the long run that matters the most. "Unnecessary tension during exam time is useless," they say.
Some parents even go to the extent of taking leave before their ward's exams. Meet Mr. and Mrs. Bhaskar Kumar. Both have taken 20 days leave to help their daughter who is preparing for her Std. XII exams. "Well, she needs the moral support. This is a very crucial examination for her career. And it's not just about doing well in the exams. The child should be confident enough to face the world," they feel.
Here are some ideas from parents and teachers to help you pass your exams with flying colours:
Begin by listening to yourself. If you hear things like: `I can't concentrate' and `I always forget', you're programming yourself for failure.
Replace any destructive instructions with positive ones like: `I always make time to study and remember it effortlessly.'
Prepare a regular time schedule for study. Go for frequent short study sessions rather than spending hours cramming the night before an exam.
Study when your mind is fresh and receptive and before retiring when your subconscious mind can mull over the material and file it away for easy retrieval.
Take notes to help you concentrate and aid recall. Even a 10-minute review while waiting for a class to start is valuable.
Try thinking how great it will be to walk confidently into your exams really knowing all your stuff!
During the exam, take plenty of deep, calming breaths to deliver oxygen to your brain to help you think.
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