One of the biggest challenges for students is exam time. Many people have difficulties with exams because they feel that they won't perform well on the day. So how can you ensure that you do your best on the vital day? Below we look at some of the biggest problems and how to overcome them easily.

Problem: Memory Recall

All memory is state dependent. This means that when you want to recall something from memory the best way to do so is to be in the same emotional state as when you learnt the information. The problem for most students is that when they learn the information they are typically in a relaxed state in class or perhaps even a bored state; when they come to sit exams they often find themselves in a panicky or stressed state. So they find it hard to recall the information that they need, simply because of the difference between their emotional states.

Solution:

When you study for your exams put yourself in a relaxed state. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy the process. When you go into the exam, let go of any stress or anxiety and allow yourself to be in a relaxed state too. Also since stress inhibits memory and relaxation aids it, being in a relaxed state during exams becomes doubly important.

If you find it challenging to get yourself in a relaxed state, practice doing this on a regular basis. An easy way to do this is to use hypnosis to relax you. You can get a free hypnosis track here 'christopher adams online'.

Problem: Anxiety approaching exams

A lot of people experience great anxiety around exams. One of the main reasons for this is that they project in their minds the consequences of not doing well. Generally speaking you can only feel anxiety around something when you think of it not going as you want it to. Think about it, people never say, "My life is going to be so amazing, I'm going to have lots of money, lots of friends, be rally happy and get everything I want - I'm really anxious about it!" The degree to which you feel anxious about something is only the degree to which you think about things happening that you don't want. If you never thoughts about things going the way you don't want them to, you would never feel anxious.

Solution:

The easiest way to deal with this is to start thinking about things that you do want instead. Start thinking about you passing your exams, easily and effortlessly. Make a list of all the things that you want, that you could get when you pass your exams. Then start to associate the exams with them. Spend a few minutes each day, look at each item on the list and think about it in detail, allow yourself to feel the great feelings you will feel when you get it. Then think about your exams (and passing them!). Then think about the list item again, then your exams, then the list item, then your exams. Think longer and more thoroughly about the list item than your exams.

The more you do this, the more you will associate exams with positive thoughts and feelings, and more importantly when you think about them you will think about them going the way you want them to.

Problem: Time Management

Often students run out of time during exams, not answering some of the most important or heavily weighted questions at the end. Problems of time management are common in exams but they can be overcome easily with some simple discipline.

Solution:

At the beginning of your exam, READ ALL THE QUESTIONS THOROUGHLY. Check how many marks are given for each question, and look at which questions you will find easy to answer. Divide your time up between questions of segments based on this. For example if you have 4 essay questions then allocate yourself just under ¼ of the time for each one. (giving yourself time at the end to go back and check your work).

Answer the quick easy questions at the beginning where possible, since most people gain most of their exam marks in the first ¼ of the exam. Not only this, but getting a few quick early wins under your belt will give you confidence as you go along. If you can't answer a question, don't dwell on it, skip it, move on to the next one and come back to it at the end if you have time.

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