There are various things one can do to beat exam stress, like the ones listed below. PaGaLGuY has put together a five-point agenda that can help make the road to CAT a little bit easier on the nerves. From praying to God, meditating, to eating the right food and what to expect on the big day — read below for a quick-fix.
1. Be positive and be brave. Do not center your life around the result.
By Prof Virender Kapoor
There are three distinct phases for a competitive exam. First, the ‘preparatory phase’, which in this case could be a year. Second the approach phase, when you are very close, say a few weeks before the exams. The third is ‘the day of exam,’ when you give all that you have in those few hours in the examination hall or in this case an online test. Many times, because of the fear some of the aspirants cannot do well on the day of the exam. With CAT, an additional level of frustration too can creep in if the person appearing has made attempts before.
Testing your wits: The exam is a test of wits and you are running against time and that is why all mock tests try to grill it in you that ‘time is precious.’ There is no short-cut to practice. Even if you have a very high IQ, you still need to go through the practice sessions religiously. Be rest assured that if you have worked hard, results are bound to be positive. If you have worked diligently, taken the right material for practice sessions, attempted sufficient number of mock tests, there is nothing to fear. You will move ahead in life and that too, ahead of others. Avoid a crash study course, because it can generate a lot of stress. Make it a point to take a short break in between study sessions. Remember, in a competitive exam, not only is ‘how you perform’ important, but also how others perform. Because at the end of the day, it is all relative.
Be positive: Give your best shot and be positive. Anyone who takes this test is a serious contender for a top b-school. He/she would have prepared by going through rigorous study material and undergone many mock tests. These tests are usually tougher than the final CAT exam just to raise the bar purposely. This should make your final exams appear a little easier and that would help on the D-day. As they say ‘the more you sweat in peace the less you bleed in war.’ And at the end, you have to be positive. Go for a walk with a friend and take a mental break. During the walk, talk about everything else except exams. This helps immensely. Please do rest before the examination day. About 8 hours of sleep will definitely help. Another important tip is not to discuss questions just before the exam. It again confuses your mind more than anything else.
Beat stress: The best way to beat stress is by taking things as they come. Beating stress is essential if you want to deliver a peak performance. In the ‘Emotional Intelligence’ domain this attitude to face life is what makes the difference between a winner and a loser. Since all of you are in the few days before CAT, you are feeling that pressure and anxiety, which builds before. You have to fight fear. You have worked hard for so long for this exam and a good score is important but there is a fear of failure. What happens if I cant crack it? is what goes on in your mind all the time. You dont fear the exam, you actually fear the result. If some how you are not so ‘attached’ to the result the fear will go away. In fact, anxiety may not build at all or at least will be less in intensity.
Attitude and perception: By saying ‘be brave’ you cant become brave but giving stress a little less importance, can be a great help. It’s okay if you dont get in an IIM or a top college. It will not be the end of the world. It is not at all that you will never make a decent living? I am from an IIT but do you think a handful of my batch mates are the only ones who are driving good cars and making money. Remember only a few thousand go to these institutes, but the world goes on. You have worked very hard, given your best shot and that is all that you can do. In case of public speaking, I always advise a simple thing: Stand on the dais and think that you are addressing a bunch of dodos. And I have seen, it works very well. Therefore, it is important to remove the cause of fear rather than fear itself. If you keep programming your mind with ‘perform or perish, do or die’ you will always generate anxiety. Having said that, I must caution, that it doesnt mean you dont work hard and dont prepare for the examination. You work hard, do your best and dont worry about the results. If you cant make it to the best B-school you can always find a place in some other institutes which will give you an opportunity to do well in life.
Breathing techniques: CAT aspirants, like other exam takers may get very anxious and lose their appetite. It is important that you have three square meals every day- even if you have to force yourself to eat. Do not miss breakfast. Dont change your style of studying. There are guys who study in groups and some study alone. Changing your style a few weeks before exam can generate unnecessary stress. If you practice meditation and yoga, please continue during this phase. If you have not done yoga or meditation, you should simply do deep breathing a few minutes at an interval of five to six hours. This helps in relaxing. A simple relaxing technique, which you should make part of your life, is a derivative of vipasana. Sit in a quite place, close your eyes and switch off the lights and cross your legs, or lie down. Now just breathe normally and concentrate on your breathing. Watch the breathing activity as you breathe in and out softly. Concentrate as your breath touches the nostrils as you breathe out. Your breath is a little warm. As you breathe in your breath touching inside your nostrils is cooler. Keep doing (observing) this for ten minutes. It is so effective that some of you may fall asleep. This works like a sleeping pill. This is the best relaxing exercise I have ever known.
Prof Virender Kapoor is the former Director of Symbiosis Institute of Telecom Management (SITM), Pune. He is also an author of bestselling books on Emotional Intelligence, Success, Passion, Wor-life Balance, which are available in many languages. He is the founder director of MILE (Management Institute for Leadership and Excellence), Pune.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————–
2. What you need to do on the big day, the night before, the day after
By Shashank Prabhu
We are now into the last week before the CAT 2010. The pulse is running high and the tension brimming. All that one has prepared for in the last few months is about to be tested in a short span of two and a quarter hours. There are those like me, who took the examination last year and are pretty well-versed with what to expect on the C-day. But for many it is the first time, so here are a few tips.
You have done your job: You have done the difficult part. You have been persistent throughout the season. Taken every mock seriously and analysed it. Seen the good, the bad and the ugly side of results. Argued with people how right you were and how wrong the paper setter was. Now, it the time to relax and be in a good frame of mind before the exam. It isn’t advised to take a full-fledged mock at this point in time. If you are really anxious, you can try something you have already done like say a sectional test or some questions you had found interesting in mocks. A full-length test is not advised as, if you don’t score well in it, you just could get nervous going into the C-day.
The night before: Make sure you get a proper night’s sleep. You don’t want to feel tired and exhausted before the test starts. If you have followed an awry schedule from the beginning, make it a habit to alter it to suit your slot. Make sure that everything you need to take to the centre is in place and you aren’t missing anything. Also, if possible, try to visit the centre a couple of days before the test and get to know where your lab is (there are multiple labs even in the same centre) and a rough estimate of how the environment would be.
On the exam day: Reach the centre slightly earlier than when you are supposed to be (8 a.m. for the morning slot and 1 p.m. for the afternoon slot). Don’t forget to carry with you the voucher and a printout of the Admit Card along with a photo identity card and a valid document to verify your SC/ST status if applicable. When you reach the centre, you will see some tense faces buried in their books or papers trying to read every last bit of information they can. Don’t get worried. If you weren’t able to do something in the last one year, chances are few that you will be able to do it in the last few minutes.
The gates will open about one and a half hours before the test. After that, your credentials will be checked and all your belongings will be taken and kept in a bag. You will be given a token so as to identify your stuff. Then, you will be queued to get your digital fingerprinting and photograph done after which, you will be allotted a system. The slots are spread out well which effectively means fewer candidates taking the test in your slot, the process should be quicker than what it was last year. Avoid drinking too much water before the test as toilet breaks will not be allowed from 30 minutes before the test till the end of the test. You will be allowed to visit the washroom only after you have been allotted your system. With your system, will be a 20-paged booklet for rough work along with two pencils and an eraser.
If anything is not in place, ask the invigilator for it. Once everyone is settled, you will be asked to follow the instructions on your screen. You can go through the CAT guide to get familiar with the interface. Before you start the test, you will be asked to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) which prohibits you from disclosing any questions from the test. If you choose to not agree to it, you get exited from the test. So, accept it and you will be asked to start the test.
During the test: While the test is on, if you face any problem, you can raise your hand and the invigilator will come to your desk. If you have some problem with your stationery, it will be replaced immediately. If you have some problems with the visibility of a question, the invigilators will make a log entry of it. In case your system shuts down, you will be moved to another system. Whatever be the case, please don’t panic during the test. The quit test button which was a problem faced by few aspirants last year, has been taken care of in this edition. It is placed only on the review screen. Even if you accidentally select it, it will warn you before quitting the test. So, there is little chance that one would abruptly end his/her test if one is vigilant enough.
Also, during the test, it might happen that you find yourself answering fewer questions than what you are ‘supposed to.’ Remember that, each of the paper sets will be different and hence, the difficulty level too might vary. Focus on doing justice to your set and do not think of anything else. Just make sure that whatever you are attempting is right and you don’t lose out marks in questions which you know you can solve well during the test. If you are done with your test early, you may choose to quit your test. But, you won’t be allowed to leave the lab. So, even if you are done with your test, it is wouldn’t hurt if you c re-check whatever you have solved.
After the exam: Post the exams, sit back and relax. There will be plenty of speculation (on the PaGaLGuY threads) on what qualifies as a good number of attempts, what should be the corresponding score and what will fetch a 99.5+ score. Avoid thinking too much about these things. You will get the same result on January 12, 2010 irrespective of whatever others say. If you are taking other entrance tests, relax for a couple of days. You need to be fresh before you can get back to solving questions again. If you are only taking CAT, there will be a void in your life after CAT. No more mocks and preparations. You can do things you couldn’t due to CAT and job/college pressures. If you have your college exams, prepare for them. You can also use this time to prepare for the next stages of the process, the Group Discussion, Interview, Essay, etc.
Shashank Prabhu was the Maharashtra CET 2010 topper and Captain of this year’s PaGaLGuY Dream Team.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————-
3. Talk to god and talk to yourself, unwind
By Harish Shetty
The unconscious mind cannot differentiate fantasy from reality. So students can spend 15 minutes daily and fantasise the entire exam in all six senses. Closing their eyes, they can visualise themselves entering the classroom, seeing the environment in all the colours, hearing the chatter, seeing the invigilator, seeing the computer screens and begin to imagine that you are answering beautifully. See it all in 5 senses and experience the 6th. The feeling of joy as the answering progresses with jet speed and correctly. The 6th sense, a joyous feeling, which should be part of the fantasy.
Childlike: Be like a child before the exams and relax around the house. Try to have fun and talk fun with family and siblings. Hum all the songs that you have always liked. This movement will help melt the fear. At this time avoid the pravachan type of guys and those with pakav faces. Make sure such types are not around you at all.
Workouts: Don’t stop your workouts as sweat is an antidote for all anxiety. Workouts will also make you feel energetic and light.
No brain panga: Do not take panga with your brain, so sleep enough so that the valves of your mind open in the exam hall. Cease- fire all your conflicts including those with boyfriends and girlfriends. Avoid thinking of those people or things that give you stress.
Talk to yourself: Khud se bolo. It is important. Remember: “Mai aur mera tanhaiyee aksar aapas me baate karten. Tum ho tho tho kitna aacha ho. Tanhayi mit gayi.” Throw Oxford obscenities, it is very good for health. If needed, discuss your fears with your friends.
Notes to God: Try talking to god. Speak to God and tell him or her what is in your mind. It will help keep the mind peaceful. Pray but not with shaking palms and with an anxious mind.
Harish Shetty is a psychiatrist based in Mumbai.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————–
4. Eat right, stay cool and stay healthy
http://pagalguy.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/food.jpg” alt=”stress buster” width=”240″ height=”180″ />
By Zubeida Tumbi
Since CAT aspirants are most probably going to be sitting in one place for long duration of time, food should be such that keeps them light and their minds active. Rice should be avoided unless the student wants to have a good sleep. Efforts should definitely be made to have frequent meals which are small in portion. These will get rid of the urge to eat a heavy lunch and also keep the system active. Also students should go off all aerated drinks and salted potato wafers.
Late night: If the student is sitting up at night to make sure he or she has a good bowel movement the next morning, then prunes, figs or raisins could be had after soaking them in water for a couple of hours. This will not help the bowel movement but also give the student something to munch on. It is better to munch on raisins and prunes than salted wafers, potato chips or chocolates in the night. This will also wean away the student from drinking cups coffee or tea at night just to keep awake.
Lots of water: Besides consuming lots of water during the day, consume water half an hour before a meal or one hour after a meal. If you want to consume during a meal, only a small cup of water. Better still if you drink hot water with a dash of lime. This will make sure that you do not feel bloated after your meal. Soup sachets are a good source of liquid to have during the day. While making the soup, toss in a few vegetables, which will make it wholesome.
Frequent meals: Some of the frequent meals can also include fruits and raw or steamed vegetables. Make sure both the fruits and vegetables are properly washed and have the fruits with the skin. These will not only provide the necessary nutrition but also keep the body light for study purposes. If you have to choose between fruit and a fruit juice, go for a fruit.
Sprouts: Sprouts should become an integral part of a student’s menu. Some prefer to eat it raw or they can be lightly cooked, to be had as a salad or as a pastime snack. Similarly, cereals are should also become a part of the diet during pre-exam days. There are different types in the market. Lhapsi is also a good option for breakfast. If a student is strictly non-vegetarian, sprouts can be replaced with chicken or fish. But these should be prepared lightly and neither in a curry base, nor fried.
Avoid salted products. Avoid all salted products, especially salted nuts which are a fun munching food for many youngsters. Nuts in fact are a very good option for those studying, but the nuts have to be unsalted. Best to have them soaked in water for a little while. While walnuts can be had as it is, almonds need to be soaked and peanuts can be roasted. The right quantity to have in a day is: 4-5 almonds, 1 tbsp peanuts, 4 pieces of walnuts.
Zubeida Tumbi, is a Phd in Nutrition and working in the field of lifestyle disorders in Mumbai.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————–
5. Meditate and stay focussed for the exam
Mediation for better performance during exams
Meditation is a good way of life, whether during exams, before or after. It improves concentration and a clear mind is far more productive for any field. Meditation ensures that you are less bothered by little things which may irritate. It can be done for 10-15 minutes daily to help recharge the brain and body. And the best thing is that meditation is not religious but a state of consciousness. Only you need to be in a place where one will not be disturbed.
How to meditate:
Posture: Sit with a straight back. It is fine to meditate in a chair, as long as the back is straight. Don’t try to meditate lying down because you are likely to fall asleep. Meditation brings relaxation and peace to the self. Meditating with an empty or full stomach may be distracting or even uncomfortable. So make sure theres something in your tummy, but not so much that you feel bloated while sitting. After a heavy meal, your body can become lethargic. Just like we don’t eat before exercises, we do the same with meditation. It is helpful to take a shower before meditating. Burning incense and or a candle is not necessary, but can add a little extra touch.
Breathing: Start breathing slowly and deeply. Close your eyes softly. Begin by taking a few slow and deep breaths inhaling with your nose and exhaling from your mouth. Dont force your breathing. Let it come naturally. The first few intakes of air are likely to be shallow, but as you allow more air to fill your lungs each time, your breaths will gradually become deeper and fuller. Take as long as you need to breathe slowly and deeply.
Awareness: Be aware. When you are breathing deeply, youll begin to feel calmer and more relaxed. Thats a good sign. Now, focus your attention on your breathing. Be aware of each breath that you take in through your nose. Be mindful of each breath that you exhale with your mouth. Continue focusing on your breaths for as long as you like.
Straying thoughts: If you find your attention straying away from your breaths, just gently bring it back. It may happen many times. Dont be disheartened. Whats important is to realise that youve wandered and bring your attention back to where it should be. As you develop greater focus power, you will find it easier to concentrate.
Music: Some find it easy to meditate with music in the background. If you belong to this group, choose tunes that help you to calm down and wont distract you from your practice. Some examples to consider are sounds of nature, soft music. These days even music shops keep music suitable for mediation. The choice of music, or lack of, is entirely a matter of personal preference. So feel free to experiment and see what works best for you.