JEE Main 2014: What to do a day before the exam!
IIT JEE may be called the mother of all engineering exams. With JEE just round the corner, students are busy brushing up their skills, doing their last minute revisions, referring the flash cards etc. As days pass by, the level of stress only increases. Though unintentionally, but students get dragged into the storm of nervous breakdown as a result of their unsuccessful maneuvers.
When the aspirants are left with a few days in hand, they forget about day and night and what they remember is just studies. Everybody has got his own approach of studying or revising the matter. But the only thing in common is stress and anxiety. With every passing second the number of questions in mind keeps on increasing. Have I actually prepared well, will I be able to get through, did I miss something,….. and the list is endless. What about the day just before the exam? The stress is at its peak.
The engineering aspirants can be segregated into two lots. One including those who prefer to close their books and do away with studies one day before the exam and the other those who get buried into the books till the last minute. These are just two different approaches and none of them can be considered wrong. To whichever lot you may belong, you are always looking for that extra edge to improve your scores!
Here is a list of some things that you can do on the day preceding the D-day to improve your prospects of performing well:
- Review the flash cards: During your preparation phase, you must have prepared some flash cards or revision notes so this is the time to revisit them. In case you didn’t, you must have at least jotted down some of the formulae or highlighted some key points, so just refer them. Referring some new topic on the final day is a big NO.
- A sneak peek into the key topics: Some of the important topics which one must revise on the last day include coordinate geometry and calculus in mathematics, electromagnetism and modern physics in physics and chemical and ionic equilibrium, thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, coordination compounds and oxygen containing organic compounds in chemistry.
- Do not attempt numerical: Your stress level is likely to be extremely high on the final day. Do not try to solve numerical as you are likely to commit mistakes. In case you attempt some and get wrong answers do not worry, in fact relax as you are not likely to repeat these mistakes on the final day.
- Eat balanced meals: There is a saying that, “You are what you eat”. So, do not skip your meals as it has an effect on your brain. Your brain works well when you are satiated. Some of the tips regarding meals include:
- Supplement your breakfast with iron rich food.
- Avoid oily or spicy food as it might lead to dizziness.
- Consume almonds as they are an important source of omega 3 fatty acids.
- Consume lots of water.
- Evening time: Reduce the intensity of studies in the second half of the day. Try not to study anything in the evening hours but do not sleep. Just relax. You may watch T.V, go to temple or do some meditation.
- Visit your examination center: No doubt stress is at its peak on the last day and it is not possible to spare a single second, but the aspirants are advised to visit their center a day before the exam. This is just to avoid anxiety on the last day. If it is not possible for you, may be your guardian or someone who’ll accompany you to the center on the final day can visit it.
- Breathe: Do not get depressed. Try to reduce your anxiety by practicing some yoga or meditation. This is extremely important as anxiety might spoil the game. Practice some breathing exercises as they help in relieving muscles and reduce stress.
- Visualize your success: Just before drifting off to sleep, imagine yourself successfully completing the paper. This helps in infusing positive energy and reducing stress levels. Moreover, you’ll be able to sleep well and your mind will be fresh in the morning.
- Good night’s sleep is a must: You must take a sound sleep of 6-8 hours to keep your mind fresh. Studying for late hours won’t prove fruitful, instead it might create problems. If you don’t take quality sleep you are likely to feel drowsy or lethargic during the exam.
On the day of the exam take a light breakfast to keep your mind and blood sugar in balance.
Last but not the least, just remember that it is just another test which will come and go. It’s not the end of life on the planet. So, just relax and let all your worries go. Give it your best shot!
Content Courtesy: askIITians.com
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