Anish Ghimire

As the current Nepali year is drawing to its closer, students find themselves under the academic pressure and need to fulfill several obligations. With the start of New Year arrives the examination season. Students like me are seen collecting materials, going through the syllabus, and gathering the arsenal for the main battle. The hassle is real and the effort required is monumental.
Especially in these trying times of online classes, where the students learned a majority of the content through their devices. The contents in online classes cannot be as effective as in physical classes. So, there’s another challenge for us. So, what can we do to combat the stress and difficulties of the examinations?

The first step is to state the obvious; prepare. Collect the syllabus and all the related content required for the exams. There is no way around it. Look for reference books, look for teachers’ and friends’ help and then start preparing. But how to prepare? Well, the first step is done, right? To collect the materials? If so, now divide the subject matters into two halves. First, categorize the heavy chapters (carrying most marks) and then the important ones (teachers said were important), and then the not-so-important ones.
And then begin at your pace. In my opinion, only trying to solve the difficult ones at first may offer you a lot of discouragement as it requires a lot of effort. So it is much better to mix it up. First, solve the hard chapter, then the easy one, and again the hard one. In this way, the pathway becomes a lot easier to walk on.

As time moves on, in my opinion, one can be possessed by anxiousness, thinking there is still so much left to cover. Suddenly the book seems a little heavy and the chapters sound alien. The demarcation of time weighs you down and then you realize the more anxious you get, the less you gather the willpower to study.
here is a term called “Test anxiety” which translates to as a psychological condition in which people are distressed and anxious when they are being tested. While many people feel stressed and anxious before and during exams, test anxiety can hinder learning and cause poor test results. While a bit of nervousness is good as it makes us alert and makes us focus more intently on the test, it shouldn’t cross the line.

Because excessive anxiety can actually interfere with test performance once stress levels reach that barrier or cross the normal line. Excessive fear can make it difficult to concentrate, and you may find it difficult to remember what you've learned. You can feel as though all of the knowledge you spent so much time reviewing has vanished from your head.
You leave blanks for questions that you are confident you know the answers to. This difficulty to concentrate and recall material leads to increased tension and stress, which makes it even more difficult to concentrate on the test.

Such issues are not clearly discussed nor by the teacher or by the parents. Especially in Nepal where exams are the prominent factors that decide your life, it creates further pressure on us. The major cause of such nervousness leading to exams is; fear of failure, the embarrassment that comes with a failed result. And the disappointment in parents' and teachers' faces. “What if I fail and let them down?” Such fear cripples us mentally and studying freely feels like a monumental task. But it is not impossible. Many people have done it. More importantly, it prepares us and helps us for the long ladder of life.

So, what can be done to remove the crippling fear and prepare to excel? There is no simple formula to it, though. The process is there and it requires self-discipline and a lot of positive self-talk. I think what worked best for me in my recent physical exams was- relaxing. Yes, as cliché as it sounds. Just don’t rush. Don’t be all over the place. Remain centered. Be calm and focus on your process. Recite your mantra to success. Do what works best for you. Do what relaxes every single element in your body. Do what eases your mind. Maintain mental peace.

And then study. Yes, study but study slowly. Don’t rush. One content, one subject matter at a time. Write it down. Preparing notes is more important than you think. What you write down, you remember. What you make notes on, you visualize better at the exams. And the other important factor is; a balanced diet. Look for foods that offer nutrients and are beneficial. Highly sugared and fatty foods are a danger zone (code red) in the season of exams. And drink plenty of water. If you stay hydrated, your brain functions to its maximum best. Our brain loves water. So you reward it with hydration and it rewards you with better memory.

The other most important factor, especially if you’re overtaken by fear and anxiousness again, make your mantra of a positive attitude. You have got to practice being optimistic. A positive attitude doesn’t hang from the trees. You have to earn it to get it.

You have to be willing to work hard for it. So, do not let negative talk drown you, because the last thing you need in exams is a negative and defeated attitude. Also, do not care about what other students are doing. Focus on your process. There is nothing that they know and you do not. So, work on yourself. And only focus on the task you are working on. As long as your horizon is clear, who cares what appears on other people’s skies?
So, all the best. And remember there is no such thing as one right answer.

(Ghimire is a college student)