How to Deal with Distraction during Exam

So, after all your dedicated exam preparations, the exam day has finally arrived. All students, regardless of exam preparation, will feel butterflies in their stomachs due to nervousness. This is perfectly acceptable taking into consideration the importance of your exams like IIT JEE, NEET (AIPMT) or other engineering and medical exams by which your career is at stake. India being a densely populated country, there is bound to be noise and noise pollution, regardless of location. This noise does not even spare your exam center. Therefore, the question that arises is how to deal with distraction during exam. We have mentioned some tips below to stay clear of these distractions during those life-changing exams.

Tip 1: Shut Out the Noise

If your college exam center is situated on a main road, there is bound to be traffic, which brings along with it mindless honking. This can throw your memory out of gear, which will surely ruin your day. You can request the examination coordinator to shut off the noise by closing all open windows and doors. Other noise, which is unavoidable, includes constant coughing by other students or someone learning some answers by rote loudly. In such cases, you can use earplugs, which are readily available in the market.

Tip 2: Pranayama

Before the exam bell rings, which signals start of the examination, you can focus on your breathing and practice some basic pranayama techniques. This will help you beat the anxiety as well as enhance your memory. By staying calm and focused through pranayama, you stand a better chance of recollecting answers in your syllabus that you have learnt by heart prior to the exams.

Tip 3: Do Not Carry Your Mobile Phone

The present SMS generation is addicted to messenger services like WhatsApp. This is a needless distraction. Anyways, you are not allowed to carry your mobile phone into the examination hall. Therefore, it makes little sense to carry it in the first place. If you carry your mobile phone (only to be left outside the hall), your unconscious mind will still focus on unread SMSs and WhatsApp notifications. Therefore, do away with your cell phone.

Tip 4: Decrease Intake of Fluids

Optimize your intake of fluids the day before your all-important exam, whereas on the examination day keep the fluid intake at a minimum. This is because a full-bladder midway during your exam is a distraction that will not let you answer the given questions effectively. The intake of fluids should be just right because thirst, too, can be a distraction. However, most examination centers provide adequate potable drinking water to students.

Tip 5: Wear Comfortable Clothing

Examination day is not the day to impress others with your clothing. Wear comfortable cotton clothing so that you feel at ease in the examination hall. The focus should be on loose-fitting clothing along with comfortable shoes. Avoid clothing that pokes at you or constricts you.

Most examinations in India involve recollection of answers learnt by rote. This places a heavy burden on your memory. If there is excessive stress or anxiety, your mind can go blank. However, this is not the case where question papers offer multiple choices as answers. The latter is a better practice for students who find it hard to study by rote.