I am a Class XI student and find it difficult to sleep the day before my exams. Moreover, when I enter the examination hall, I don’t feel confident. Kindly advise.
Firstly, don’t ever think of taking any anti-anxiety or sedative pill that are commonly available at home. Secondly, you can do a simple exercise — breathe slowly and deeply, for about four-five minutes, three-four times a day. It would be better to do this before the exam. Good amount of oxygen intake will definitely promote a good memory.
Next, don’t try to cram too much in the last minute. You are not supposed to revise the whole subject 12 hours prior to the exam. You should make bullet points of every chapter a day before exam. Also, it is common to either over-eat or starve during exams, which is wrong. Spicy and salty food before the exams can lead to a lot of sluggishness. Green leafy vegetables, fruits, salads and pulses should be encouraged instead. Small meals prior to the exam will help you to be more awake during the exam. Sleep properly before the exam.
Lastly, communicating with family members is very important. Don’t forget to sit across the dining table and share a few moments of togetherness with your family and discuss things which are not related to your exams. Repeat the same before leaving the house on the day of the exam. Don’t think that you can go through the whole book in one minute while standing outside the examination hall. This can be disastrous, as the anxiety will make you feel amnesic about the whole subject. Rather, going to the examination hall with a blank mind is a good sign. It means that you know whatever you have internalised and you are going there without anticipating what is going to come in the exam. At least five-six hours of sleep before the exam is essential. Have your meal a little early in the evening. You can also have a midnight snack.
I am a third-year marine engineering student. I feel that the course is very stressful and demanding, as a result of which I cannot focus on studies. I feel pressurised by my family to perform. Please help.
Marine engineering is a tough course and also a very demanding profession to pursue. You really need to be mentally and physically prepared
to face the demands of the programme effectively. It is designed this way to bring out the best in you. Focus on the current priorities with vigor. All other distractions can wait. Try not to get too involved in family matters.
— Dr Kannan Gireesh is a Chennai-based consultant psychiatrist, psychotherapist and counsellor. Students can SMS their queries to (0) 98414 16422 or send an email to queriesedex@newindianexpress.com