Oreoluwa: Exam angst
If there is one thing that I have always wished was eliminated from my student life, it is exams. I have always dreaded exam periods, not just because it makes me lose quality sleep, spend less time with family and friends, and miss out on favorite television programs and favorite social media updates, but mostly because of how tense it makes me. This made it so easy for everyone to tell when I had exams since the tension alone usually made me lose weight unconsciously. In high school I felt the only good thing about exam periods was that I had little or no house chores to do.
Regardless of the number of times I have taken one exam or another, the mere fact that I am about to take an exam usually takes me out of my comfort zone. But, I figured I needed to do some self-reflection to cure for my phobia of exams, which I felt could be of help to others because there is definitely not going be an end to exams as far as being a student is concerned.
Cramming was one way I thought could earn me all of the good grades I wanted until I tried to study without cramming and realized I was way better off for it. This is because, I have come to realize, there is every possibility of forgetting what you crammed but little or no probability of forgetting what you take your time to carefully understand. In addition to studying regularly, it is important to regularly attend and pay attention in all classes. By doing so, you can have adequate insight on what every topic entails and there would be no amount of fear that could eradicate your knowledge of something. After all, what you know is what you know.
As students, we all have that one course we are not really comfortable with and usually get petrified when our knowledge of it is tested. Most times it’s because the other students — or sometimes even the professor — hype the exam or because we just feel we can never really be prepared for it. In situations like this, I believe what is important is determination; all other things will fall in place. Then try to find out what it is exactly that gets you anxious about the course, practice a lot of questions, get help from the help center when in doubt about anything and keep reassuring yourself of how well you are doing.
Exams are usually one of a student’s greatest nightmares regardless of how prepared they are. This preconceived fear of failure overwhelms students even more than the exam questions. Being positive before an exam boosts your body, mind and soul. So, I suggest that we need to try to be as calm as possible and try to ease every form of tension, as tension can make you feel insecure even when you really are prepared.
Also, getting to the room for the exam early is a factor that is important to ease any form of tension that one could have. This would create enough time to get a favorable seat or position as comfortable as possible in the examination hall. Then it is important to take time reading instructions carefully as some questions can be asked in a very familiar yet tricky manner, so appropriate caution should be taken so as not to be misled.
In the long run, preparation, diligence and determination are the keys for every student whose utmost desire is to succeed. Hence, in our pursuit of acing the finals this spring, let us try as much as possible to erase all skeptical thoughts, every form of fear along with tension and aim for nothing but the best this semester.
Lasisi Oreoluwa is a second-year majoring in pharmacy.
