Success often hinges on more than just textbook knowledge in the high-stakes realm of exams. Unexpected challenges can throw even the most prepared individuals off balance. Edel Walsh delves into effective strategies for handling the unexpected and maintaining composure under pressure
Exam success has a lot to do with how you deal with an unexpected curve ball a paper can throw at you. For example, there could be a question you don’t know how to answer or something you didn’t review during your study sessions.
Your own internal thoughts or curve balls might also show up on the day of the exam. People often worry about forgetting everything they’ve learned, their stress levels affecting their focus, or if they studied enough.
Here are some tips for dealing with the unexpected during an exam.
Expect the unexpected
No matter how well-prepared you feel, there can always be something that will catch you off guard during an exam. This is to be expected given the type of exams you are sitting.
Once you have accepted that something unexpected will come up, it won’t feel so overwhelming when it happens.
Breathwork
No matter what happens in the exam, you are always in control of your own breath. Use it to regulate and re-focus.
Stress can have a physiological effect on your body. One such side effect is your breathing getting shallower.
When your breathing becomes shallow and quick, there is not enough oxygen getting into your bloodstream, and so not enough oxygen reaching your brain.
This can impact cognitive ability, which can have a knock-on effect on overall exam performance.
If this happens, give yourself a few moments to recognise what is going on. Then, place your hand on your belly and take some deep abdominal breaths.
A breathing technique when in a sticky situation is the 7/11 breath. Breathe in for seven seconds and out for 11 seconds. Repeat this a few times.
Another effective breathing technique is the square breath: breathe in for four seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds and hold your breath for a final four seconds.
Even when feeling confident, I always recommend students take a breath before tackling any question or requirement. This will help you get clarity of thought before continuing.
A word of warning, though: try not to wait until the exam day to start practicing your breathing.
While it will help you even without any practice, it is much more effective with practice.
Incorporate breathwork into your study routine.
Answering unexpected questions
When faced with an unexpected question in the exam, it can be easy to misread it, overlook an important piece of information, or misinterpret it entirely.
Use the following five-step approach to keep yourself on track.
- Breathe: Use a breathing technique to help clear your mind and self-regulate.
- Read: Take your time reading the question or case. The faster you read, the fewer words your eye will focus on. If you feel like you don’t understand what you are reading, slow down and try again.
- Key words: Highlight key words, like “analyse”, “assess”, and “describe”, and answer the question accordingly. Also look out for "and" as that indicates there is a second part to the question that needs to be answered.
- Ask: Ask yourself: “am I answering what the examiner is looking for, or am I answering a question the way I’d like to answer it?”
- Plan: Before you start writing, take a few moments to plan out your answer to make sure you haven’t missed any important elements and that you understand what the examiner is asking.
Focus on your circle of control
When you are feeling pressure in an exam, it is useful to focus on what is within your control.
Start with the questions that give you the most confidence. If possible, keep the difficult questions until the end, ensuring you have left enough time to answer them.
Remember: slow down, take a breath, regulate yourself and then you can tackle whatever comes your way.
Edel Walsh is a student and exam coach. For more information, check out
www.edelwalsh.ie
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