Are you guys feeling the nerves right about now? I'm a worrier and a pesimist at heart :o Psychologists say that it is human nature to be negative - a sort of survival mechanism. But a mind steeped in negativity, such as mine, will only worsen one's survival chances.
I think we should all develop a more positive mindset to exams if we have not done so already. Here’s some mind-changing suggestions that I have found inspirational.
Picture yourself getting a big fat A and visualize this over and over in vivid detail. If you maintain a positive, 'I can do it' attitude building up to your exams, your stress will be transformed into positive energy that can be harnessed to enhance your performance.
View the exam as a time-bound project of 90 days. Look forward to the fun and challenge in store on completion
It’s only an exam! You’re not going to die. Your family will not get kidnapped and tortured if you fail. And there’s always the resit!
An exam is simply an opportunity to show what you know.
Exams are designed to HELP you, and provide the lecturers with feedback so they can help you further.
Think of an exam as a game - against the examiner - which could be won or lost.
You will be just the same person before and after the exam. Exams don’t measure anything really important about you.
You have had a number of successes already and have actually passed many exams - hold on to that. Focus on the positive aspects of the past rather than the negative ones, as this will spur you on to yet more successes.
Thought-stopping technique
When we become anxious we begin to have negative thoughts ('I can't answer anything', 'I'm going to panic' etc). If this is happening, halt the spiralling thoughts by mentally shouting 'STOP!'. Or picture a road STOP sign, or traffic lights on red. Once you have literally stopped the thoughts, you can continue planning, or practise a relaxation technique.
Use a mantra
Derived from meditation, a mantra is a word or phrase which you repeat to yourself. Saying something like 'calm' or 'relax' under your breath or in your head, over and over again, can help defuse anxiety.
Focusing
Looking out of the window, noticing the number of people with red hair, counting the number of desks in each row... all help to distract your attention from anxious thoughts and keep your mind busy. Mental games such as making words out of another word or title, using alphabetical lists etc are all good forms of distraction.
Bridging objects
It can help to carry or wear something with positive associations with another person or place. Touching this bridging object can be comforting in its own right, then allow yourself a few minutes to think about the person or situation which makes you feel good. This can have a really calming effect.
Self-talk
In exam anxiety or panic we often give ourselves negative messages, 'I can't do this' 'I'm going to fail' 'I'm useless'. Try to consciously replace these with positive, encouraging thoughts: 'This is just anxiety, it can't harm me', 'Relax, concentrate, it's going to be OK', 'I'm getting there, nearly over'.
Thought-stopping technique
When we become anxious we begin to have negative thoughts ('I can't answer anything', 'I'm going to panic' etc). If this is happening, halt the spiralling thoughts by mentally shouting 'STOP!'. Or picture a road STOP sign, or traffic lights on red. Once you have literally stopped the thoughts, you can continue planning, or practise a relaxation technique.
Use a mantra
Derived from meditation, a mantra is a word or phrase which you repeat to yourself. Saying something like 'calm' or 'relax' under your breath or in your head, over and over again, can help defuse anxiety.
Focusing
Looking out of the window, noticing the number of people with red hair, counting the number of desks in each row... all help to distract your attention from anxious thoughts and keep your mind busy. Mental games such as making words out of another word or title, using alphabetical lists etc are all good forms of distraction.
Bridging objects
It can help to carry or wear something with positive associations with another person or place. Touching this bridging object can be comforting in its own right, then allow yourself a few minutes to think about the person or situation which makes you feel good. This can have a really calming effect.
Self-talk
In exam anxiety or panic we often give ourselves negative messages, 'I can't do this' 'I'm going to fail' 'I'm useless'. Try to consciously replace these with positive, encouraging thoughts: 'This is just anxiety, it can't harm me', 'Relax, concentrate, it's going to be OK', 'I'm getting there, nearly over'.
i tried it, punched da wall many 'a times, hurt, didn't lose any anxiety
But if you think positively than when you do badly it's a bigger blow, if you think negative you get a satisfaction out of being right and it isn't a shock.
I do that when I'm coming home and don't know if the front door is locked. I say to myself, 'please be locked!' and then if it is I can think, 'YES! I was right!' If it isn't locked I have the pleasure of not having to walk round the back in the rain. It's a win-win situation.
So yeah, positive mental attitude!
Back to the topic, some of the ideas are good. My dancing teacher said she used to have a bit of fabric with a smell on it she smelt at home, and then when she sniffed it in the exam she felt like she wasn't in the exam room anymore.
But if you think positively than when you do badly it's a bigger blow, if you think negative you get a satisfaction out of being right and it isn't a shock.
lol I used to think like that. But by the time I got into an examination situation I would be a wreck.
Now I think 100% positive. And I've found that my confidence enables me to recall information much more efficiently.
I have another law exam in 2 hours and I feel goooood
i always thinking that i can't remember this when i read books..it's too much information!! how can a human remember all this stuff!!!?? i konw i'm crazy now....................how can i stop it...................................
good thread tufts and to think, i thought you were just a spammer
I'd have to agree with your ideas. Positivity is the way forward in my opinion. The key thing really is to not panic. I don't agree with the idea that going in all pessimistic = better results than worst expectations. because at the end of the day the net result is a set of results which would be worse than your honest expectations.
I find it best to clear your head totally. At the begining, imagine yourself getting an A and doing well (also do this during revision). you can feasibly do this because you know in your head that you have all the knowledge and have done all the required work. it's just a question of putting it all down on the sheet. Also maybe try to think back to a moment in time when you achieved something in your life when the struggle was on. This has metaphoric value and really sets me up well.
Thought-stopping technique
When we become anxious we begin to have negative thoughts ('I can't answer anything', 'I'm going to panic' etc). If this is happening, halt the spiralling thoughts by mentally shouting 'STOP!'. Or picture a road STOP sign, or traffic lights on red. Once you have literally stopped the thoughts, you can continue planning, or practise a relaxation technique.
Self-talk
In exam anxiety or panic we often give ourselves negative messages, 'I can't do this' 'I'm going to fail' 'I'm useless'. Try to consciously replace these with positive, encouraging thoughts: 'This is just anxiety, it can't harm me', 'Relax, concentrate, it's going to be OK', 'I'm getting there, nearly over'.
I usually employ these techniques just before an examination. I just repeat to myself mentally "you have prepared well", "this is your chance to show the examiner what you have learnt". This combined together with rubbing my fingers in a circular motion in a sort of really bad metidation technique tends to do the job for me.
I tend to hope for the best, but expect the worse.
I aaaalways come out of exams thinking i've done rubbish, but I always tend to do quite well. So now when I come out of exams I just think "well I did **** in that, but then again, I always think that os i'm sure it will be ok!"
I'd probably be worried I'd done it wrong if I came out thinking I'd done well!
best of all in postive mind NEVER give up cos man after all the HARD work of not gving up the revision its worth it in the end as a rewards! and try to imagine urself nearby the seaside or under a underfall though not naked lol..
AP Chem teacher here. Hope I have not violated your territory. These posts provide important insights for a teacher. I feel your pain.
Is there a theteacherroom?
I will be new to CIE Chemistry next year. As with AP, I am aware that teaching to the exam is vital for my students. Have tons of past AP Chem exams, but only the CIE exam that is on their web site. Need gobs more CIE exams. Any help out there? Any suggestions? Goal is to give my students an eagerness to attack their exams with killer confidence.
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT question yourself. The questions are on the papers and are written by people that want you to impress them. Just do it. Impress them. Give them what they want. They want you to do well. They really are on your side. Make them happy. Give them your best kindness. Have fun. Look around during the exam and enjoy the battle. Keep your sword moving. Your competition is the people around you, not the papers.
The way I see it, we've been doing topics and stuff for years, and it's only counted for school reports, and things like that. Finally, we're getting qualifications for exams and projects we've been doing for years!
Also, exams aren't the be all and end all of everything - I've accepted that I'm not amazing at Science and Maths, I'm much more of an English and Music person, and it makes me feel better to know that next year I won't have to do them any more.
Exams and revision for all students (KS3 to degree) and secondary school courses
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Positive Mindset Vs Exam Panic
Picture yourself getting a big fat A and visualize this over and over in vivid detail. If you maintain a positive, 'I can do it' attitude building up to your exams, your stress will be transformed into positive energy that can be harnessed to enhance your performance.
Re: Positive Mindset Vs Exam Panic
