just about the worst exam nightmare
anyone can imagine is to panic in the
middle of an exam and be unable to write
anything or think straight now is a bad
thing to happen and there are steps you
can take we're going to give you a few
that will minimize the possibility of
that happening if before exams you are
really really genuinely worried that the
panicking in the exam might cause you to
freeze and really really affect your
chances then please do speak to your
teachers because special arrangements
can be made if that is the case for you
so bear that in mind but for most
students it's an anxiety rather than
something that happens but it can happen
for just a minute or two we're going to
give you some ideas about how to deal
with it the first thing is inhale but
exhale for longer this couldn't be more
important because when we breathe fully
it lets our bodies know that we're safe
and that way you can relax so in a
really primal level we've got nothing to
fear there's nothing to worry about
because we're breathing in a really
relaxed way so if you're sitting in your
exam and you're starting to feel really
nervous maybe a little bit panicky make
sure you inhale for maybe four to five
counts and exhale from maybe seven if
you're struggling to connect with that
because you're still really worried
about it
maybe just imagine you're breathing into
a rectangle so inhaling which is the
shorter side and then exhaling for
longer just having that vision of that
rectangle can really focus your
attention and when you're focusing on
just your breath you don't have time
it's not physically possible to actually
worry about anything else so this is
really really good hack and something
you should definitely try before your
exam if you are worried that you might
panic at the time the second thing is
get grounded so get comfy in your chair
ground your feet on the floor and just
imagine just breathing into your chest
and then into your tummy that can make a
huge difference if you've got a relaxed
body you've got a relaxed mind and when
you've got a relaxed mind that
information that you've been working
really hard to revise that can then come
out giving the tips and onto the paper
the third thing you can try is just take
a two-minute breather that might just be
just putting your pen down and just
closing your eyes and just taking some
deep breaths or it might be that you
need to take a loo break and you ask the
invigilator if you can go in
leave the room just for a minute just
having that a little bit of time and
space can make a big difference again
just allowing your mind to just settle
taking a few deep breaths and coming
back to your desk you'll feel so much
more refreshed and again that
information will become much more
accessible to you there are a lot of
things in an exam that can put you off
one of those things is just looking at a
question and thinking I can't do that
with my nightmare question it probably
isn't but maybe you just think that
leave it the exam boards don't mind what
order you do questions in so maybe just
choose an easier one or a few easier
ones and try those first another thing
that puts people off each other students
sometimes so somebody else we all know
this will ask for extra paper when you
are still only halfway through your
answer booklet but really don't worry
about that just just means they have
very large writing and it's absolutely
nothing to do with how they are getting
on it doesn't mean they're better than
you so don't let that put you off all
the actions of any other students you
just need to concentrate on doing your
best at all times I would say that it's
really important to try to stop exam
panic before you get into the room one
of the things that can help you is to
visualize what the exams going to be
like imagine the journey to school or
college or wherever you're taking the
exam walking into the exam imagine how
you might feel imagine who's going to be
there imagine taking your seat the paper
coming around somehow just going through
that makes it a bit easier to manage so
I would say visualizing beforehand is a
good idea and being very very relaxed on
the night before and the morning of the
exam to get into a routine to make sure
you've eaten drunk water slept that
you've got to the exam in good time and
that you are not in any way rushing at
all so that way you get into the exam
sort of ready to work and without any
other worries
you