Exam season is stressful. But it can put an even bigger strain on your mental health if you always struggle to hand in completed papers. So here’s how to finish an exam on time and stay on top of your game.
How to Finish an Exam on Time
Many students struggle with time management during their tests and exams. Luckily we have a few tips on how to finish an exam on time and reach your study goals.
Before the Exam
Before you set foot into an exam venue, there is a lot of preparation that must be done. That much we know. But if you have the added challenge of not completing your exams on time, you might need to do a little extra.
Practice From Past Papers
Past papers are how you can see where most of your time will be spent. You need to expose your brain to the stressful exam environment as many times as possible so you can train yourself to get through the whole paper.
Take Care of Your Body
Finishing your exam will be very difficult if you’re not feeling your best. So during exam season, make sure to eat healthy foods and get enough sleep. You should also take regular breaks to give your body a chance to rest.
Spend Enough Time Studying
You knew this tip was coming, right? Knowing the course material is key to getting through the entire paper. This is because you won’t waste time thinking about what the correct answer is, you’ll be able to write it down immediately.
Practice Your Writing
Writing long papers can leave you with sore, aching hands that cause you to write slowly. To combat this, try building up your strength through online writing exercises. You should also practice essay questions so you don’t waste time thinking about things such as structure.
During the Exam
The steps you take during the exam are very important as it determines whether you’ll finish the exam on time or not. Think of your study sessions as the dress rehearsals, and the exam as your final performance.
Read Through the Whole Paper
If you’re in matric, you might have what is called ‘reading time’. Use these extra minutes to read all the questions carefully. This is because in your rush to get done, you could end up misunderstanding what is asked. You’ll then waste time going back later to redo them.
Budget Your Time
Take a watch with you to the venue and keep it on your desk so you can keep a close eye on the time. The general rule of thumb is to spend one minute per mark. So if a question is worth five marks, you should spend no more than five minutes answering it.
Plan Your Long Answers
Have essay questions to write? Before you dive in, plan them out by using mind maps or bullet points. Know exactly what points you want to make in each paragraph. Taking a few minutes to plan out what to write can help you get through those long questions faster.
Ask for Paper Before Needing it
Don’t wait until you’ve squeezed the last word on your last piece of paper before asking for more. Rather ask when you start working on your final page. In a large venue, it can take invigilators a while to reach you. You can always give back extra pages you haven’t used.
Let go of Perfectionism
Your job is to get the correct answer on the paper. If it’s just a one word answer that’s needed, don’t write full sentences. If you don’t know the answer, leave some space open on the page and move on to what you know. Don’t forget to go back to those questions though.
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