Mental preparation before the exam

So, your test date is approaching, and as the time you’ve got left ticks down, your panic levels go up.

Sound familiar? Well, you’re not alone. You don’t need an expert to tell you that exams and tests can be one of the most stressful times of your life, especially when there’s a lot at stake. Perhaps you need that IELTS score to get into the university of your choice, the profession of your dreams, or the country you’ve always wanted to move to.

The thing is not to get worked up. Easy to say, but it’s true. Here are some ideas to help get you in the right frame of mind and to help you keep your focus and stay calm. It’s all a case of using the right psychology and approach.

Preparing your mind before test day

Get familiar with the test

The biggest cause of exam stress often comes from not knowing the exam well enough. The unfamiliar is scary, right? Not knowing simple things like format, what to expect, what topics may come up, even what you need to take with you on exam day, all work away at you and make the exam seem less feasible.

A good approach here is prepping for the exam. Get yourself prepared by looking at past papers and mock papers, and studying them. Do some preparation by taking a special course. Work with an exam-buddy to test each other. Practising with a study-buddy can get you exam-ready by boosting your confidence and reducing exam stress.

You can also read around the topic and check out what other people who are in a similar situation to you are doing. You’re here, reading this blog, and that’s a great start. There’s a whole wealth of material out there, and tips that will be especially focused on the questions you have, such as how to understand essay questions in IELTS, for example. Get as much information as you can before you start.

Practice, practice, practice

Language learning and test taking are skills. And as with any skill, the more you practise, the better you get.

If you have ever learnt to drive a car, or play an instrument, cast your mind back to when you first started. Remember how it took you ages to work out how to clutch and change gear? To read the music notes and press the keys on the piano at the same time? But now you do it without thinking. You still check in your wing mirrors before driving off, but you do it automatically.

And that’s how it is with tests. Repeated tasks stick in your memory, and studying by repetition of tasks means that you programme your brain to have the ability to do the task, so when it comes to test day, it’s automatic. You just do it. You’ve practised ten times on various topics in front of the mirror, so have the confidence that you’ll be able to do it again in front of the examiner. OK, the questions may be slightly different, but the efficacy of practising will steer you in the right direction.

Learn from your mistakes

Sometimes, we’re scared because we are scared of making mistakes. Well, let me tell you something. Mistakes are the way we learn. So, maybe you got lots of spelling errors on your last test, or couldn’t read the text fast enough. That’s OK, don’t give up. Look at what went wrong, learn those words, learn some reading strategies, and next time you’ll do better. If not the next test, then the time after that!

Don’t expect to always be perfect. Yes, aim high, but just make sure you are doing the best you can, and that will take the pressure off. Remember, it’s important to put the exams in perspective. OK, it’s not a great feeling to fail or not do as well as you hoped, but it’s not the end of the world, and we’ve all been there. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, see what went wrong, and take steps to improve on that.

Looking after yourself

Stress isn’t all bad

The other thing to remember is that stress isn’t all bad. Use it to your advantage. That nervous feeling you get is a great motivator that can give you the push you need to start doing your preparation rather than catching up with the latest box set. That will still be there for you when you finish, so use it as a reward for when you’ve ticked off all the items on your study plan. But make sure you do rest and take plenty of breaks. The efficacy of your study will be greatly reduced if you’re tired and can’t take in any more information.

Be balanced

With that in mind, make sure you eat properly, keep hydrated, get plenty of good quality sleep, and make sure you get some exercise. In short, be balanced.

Did you know that doing some light exercise can actually help your brain retain information and reduce stress? Taking walks are a great form of mental preparation. Get fresh air, and get some sunlight. In other words, listen to your mum - she’s right! Why? Well, you need some IELTS psychology and a positive mental exam-taking attitude to kick in. Being outdoors, and especially around nature, can help clear your head. Do some deep stomach breathing. This helps stimulate blood flow and relax you. Being around nature can really offer you support for exam stress and is a great way of making you feel fresh and ready to face anything.

Just before the exam

You’ve done the preparation, so go to bed early and rest. You’ll need a good night’s sleep to get you in the right frame of mind and to keep you calm and focused on test day. Just before you start, try some deep breathing as ways to clear your mind and keep your composure.#

And lastly, have confidence. You’ve done the preparation, you’ve done the study, so approach the test positively. You are primed and ready to ace that test: believe you can do it!