For many young Malaysians, November would be quite a hectic and stressful month, especially for those sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) right now.
After a year (or two) of preparing for this crucial exam, most would probably know what to expect on the test papers handed out to them on the actual day. However, since SPM and many of our public exams last for more than a week, have you made any preparations to stay in the best physical and mental health to improve your chances of success?
The following tips are very simple and should also be easy for you to follow and hopefully allow you prepare better for your exams:
Sleep well
During these exam weeks, many students would be tempted to pull an all-nighter to cram for the following day’s test. You must realise that if your brain is fatigued, it will be hard for you not only to retain information but also recall it when you need it most. With that in mind, you will be more effective by following a reasonable sleep schedule.
Eat healthily
This tip should not just be for tackling examinations, but should be your way of life. However, this tip is more of a reminder to stay away from unhealthy foods as they can negatively affect your exam preparations. If possible, go for more lean meats, nuts, fruits, and vegetables and avoid eating too much sugar and heavily processed food.
Most importantly, have a proper breakfast, with food such as eggs or oats, to ensure your energy levels are high. Again, try to avoid foods high in sugar, as they may not help you last for the whole exam paper.
Stay active
Make sure you take some time to remove yourself from your books once in a while to exercise or have a light workout. At the very least, take a short walk, as some studies indicate that even that has been proven to be able to boost you mentally and improve your memory. A good workout can also help to calm the nerves and it’s a great way to relieve stress as well.
Remove distractions
This tip will be quite hard for some, as it involves looking away from your electronic gadgets’ screens. Keeping yourself focused on exam preparations will require sacrificing your time checking up on the latest updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Social media can be a huge time-suck so always remember what’s at risk if you happen to find yourself distracted by it. However, as a reward for being able to focus well on your studies you could give yourself 10 minutes of Internet time during your breaks. But remember; always be mindful of the time.
Don’t compare answers!
Immediately after your test is over, do avoid the temptation to ask your classmates or friends about it. The obvious downside of this is that your confidence could be shattered if you find out that you answered a few questions wrongly.
Rather than comparing the exam questions and answers with them, your focus should immediately be on the next paper. The most important thing to remember is that you gave it your best and now it’s time to do the best you can for the rest of the exams.
All the best!
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This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, visit this link: http://bit.ly/2gcbzBP
Image Source: TMAB2003 @ flickr.com
