The onset of semester exams might be a reason enough for you to forget about October heat if you are an engineering student. No matter how regularly you study rest of the time, nervousness and anxiety pile up as the final moments draw closer. Scholarly or not, exam time is stressful for nearly every engineering student.

Adopting excruciating routines is the strategy followed by most students in an attempt to cope with the mounting pressure during exams. Engineering students pulling all-nighters are known to be the ones who get the best scores. However helpful such an adjustment might seem, it has its ill effects too. It adds to the pre-existing exam-time stress, especially when combined with common mistakes like consuming energy drinks and munching on junk food while managing the scarcity of time.

Exam-time stress cannot be denied. However, you can deal with it without compromising your well-being if you follow the following measures.

1. Follow a Time Table:

Hitting your books without a plan can be a bad idea if you really wish to soak in as many topics as possible before leaving for your exam. It might make you feel lost as you go on revising chapter after chapter. Beginning with a well-drafted study plan keeps you away from the stress you might encounter just a few hours before the exam.

Distributing the syllabus across the number of days until your next exam is the best plan to go about. It allows you to take intermittent breaks instead of marching on straight till the last moment. Avoid all distractions that may make you veer away from the schedule you’ve made.

A personalized exam-preparation time table is anytime better than the one provided by your teacher as a model to the entire classroom. It will help you the most in keeping stress at bay.

2. Set Realistic Goals:

Most engineering papers have vast syllabi. Covering all the topics in a short span is often too much to expect, at least if you have not been careful about taking notes while there was time. Chasing the entire syllabus a day before the exam will leave you baffled in the last hour.

Setting realistic study goals is the most reliable technique of avoiding a stressful situation during exams. Choose the topics you are comfortable with to study first, rather than the ones marked important in the classroom. Complicated topics may bounce off from your memory while you are already dealing with exam-time pressure.

Setting percentage wise goals is a dependable strategy. First finish off the topics that will save you from failing, then go for the ones that will help you score.

3. Take out Breaks:

Ever heard about study burnout? Often while preparing for exams you tend to sit down studying for a long stretch of hours. It robs you of your enthusiasm and the ability to concentrate. You might feel sleepless at times after suffering from study burnout. That’s the reason why taking breaks from your studies is important.

It leaves you refreshed as you take a break from your studies at an interval of every few hours. Make yourself a cup of coffee, enjoy music, go for a walk or just call a friend for a light hearted chat. It will help your mind relax and process information better when you return to your exam preparation. You however must keep from engaging in a task that leaves you stressed physically or mentally.

Be careful about not letting your break extend a desirable amount of time. You might get simply carried away if you indulge in a distracting activity like checking your social media news feed.

4. Make Time to Rest:

Even though it is exam time, the amount of rest required by your body won’t go down all of a sudden. Students tend to stretch their limits by scarifying their sleep to be able to study more. One obvious side effect you might encounter is falling asleep right in the examination hall.

The drowsiness resulting from lack of sleep may also affect subtle aspects like your writing speed, ultimately affecting your performance and results. A lack of concentration is often attributed to inadequate sleep. Although you may study well for the papers that are earlier in the schedule, you will be more stressed out and unable to focus while preparing for the ones that are towards the end.

Rest is essential for the body to recover from the wear and tear occurred during the daytime. If you don’t respect your physical limitations, your body will force you to do so.

5. Watch What you Eat:

Imagine gobbling down a large meal for lunch when you have decided to study through the noon till the evening. Even if you manage not to sleep, the heaviness will barely let you concentrate on the studies at hand. You may choose not to watch your diet for fitness sake. But being conscious about your meals is extremely important while on an exam-preparation schedule.

Choosing to eat something like junk, oily or spicy food can make you suffer from acidity given that you’re staying up late for studies. Fresh food cooked at home is the best option to prefer. Having fresh fruits, salads, or nuts will energize you to sit through the desired time. Avoid too much coffee and don’t forget to be hydrated with enough amount of water.

While the mind is working overtime to cope with the examination stress, make sure to inculcate some physical activity in your exam-time. It will relieve your joints of the strain from sitting too long.

While following these measures will help you get through your exams without compromising your health, best is to start preparing a lot in advance. Don’t wait till the last moment to begin studying. Develop a habit of taking notes every day as you attend lectures at the college. They will not only help you pass smoothly through your exams, but also will remain as your go-to references in case you face a difficulty at your job.

If you ever believed that toppers are those who stressed themselves out the most during exams, you are yet to meet those well organised scholars who may enter the examination hall right out the movie hall.

This article about exam preparation tips is presented by ARMIET Engineering College where teachers help students to develop a habit of studying regularly than stressing out during exams.