WRITING an exam can be a very stressful experience for many learners – even when they were diligent in their revision.
And as matrics head into exam rooms to write one of the most important examinations they will ever write, some will find themselves in a terrifying situation where they hit that dreaded blank – an inability to recall information despite months of solid preparation and dedicated study.
Teachers and parents should, as their final act of support before pen is put to paper, empower learners to know what to do should they be confronted with a mental void when they receive their papers, because the clinical logistics of the exam environment can be unfamiliar and daunting, with rules about where to sit, what you can do, and what you can have with you.
It is quite normal to experience exam nerves in an examination venue.
However, sometimes students can become so overwhelmed that they cannot remember the material that they have spent many hours reviewing. This can lead them to feel even more panicked and stressed.
Before the clock starts
Firstly, when you receive the paper, carefully read through all the instructions and every page of the paper. Then re-read all the instructions.
This will give you a sense of what is expected of you.
Remind yourself that even if you do forget some details, it is unlikely that you will completely forget everything.
Then, while reading through the paper, mark all the questions that you can answer, and start with these questions first.
That will give you some confidence and allow your mind some time to process, as well as to start accumulating some marks for the paper.
If still overwhelmed
Don’t panic – take long, slow and deep breaths and calm your mind.
Once you are feeling a bit calmer go back to the questions that you believed that you could not answer.
Try to jot down anything and everything that you can remember about the material. You can always cross this out to indicate that it should not be marked.
If you cannot remember any of the material, try to use some memory tricks to assist you.
For example, try to visualise sitting in class when the material was covered, or try to picture yourself in your study area with your notes in front of you.
Often thinking about the context of the material can help you to remember it.
Remember the big picture
Keep in mind that what you are usually marked on is your ability to answer the question.
In the worst case scenario, where you cannot remember a single piece of information from your course material, simply try to answer the question from a common sense perspective.
You may find that you do actually know quite a bit about the question and may be awarded some marks for your general knowledge.
Doing this may also prompt you to remember the course material.
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