The exam
How do I prepare?
It is natural to be nervous before an exam.
But how do you get to grips with your exam nerves?
Here are some ideas and guidance for how to work with and control your exam nerves so that they do not inhibit your performance.
Nervousness is an individual and personal feeling, and can be overwhelming, but there are many things you can do to deal with it. It can be helpful to understand your own unease and seek out techniques that can prevent or calm your exam nerves.
For instance, it is a good idea to prepare thoroughly. Needless to say, you must read up on the curriculum, but it is also worthwhile to familiarise yourself with the exam situation.
Furthermore, it is important to know where to seek help if your exam nerves get out of control.
Remember; nervousness is something you can work with and learn to tackle.
Before the exam
What should I do before the exam?
Before you go to the exam, it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the exam situation. In other words, read the curriculum and the exam description so that you know what is expected of you. When you know what is expected of you, you become less nervous, and then there is more energy to focus on the content.
Give your brain an opportunity to unwind. Take the evening before the exam off and get a good night's sleep. Remember that the exam is a snapshot. A performance at a specific point in time for which you are awarded a grade. The awarded grade says nothing in general about you or your personality.
The oral exam
How do I do it?
If you wake up early on the day of your exam, then do something practical or go for a walk. Do not attempt to read a little extra before the exam. This will only unsettle you, and you will probably not get much out of it anyway.
When you enter the exam room, try to remember that the examiner and the co-examiner are also just human beings. They certainly know about nervousness and performance anxiety. And if you feel nervous, be open about it.
Before an oral exam, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the structure of the exam; what will be the focus of the exam, and how much time do you have for your presentation? Furthermore, it is important that you know the details of your assignment, so that you can easily recall the key points and account for strengths and weaknesses. Remember that if you fall upon serious errors in your assignment it’s a good idea to include them in your presentation, and put forward how you would do it differently today.
Get to the exam in due time, exhale, and make yourself comfortable before entering. Look at your presentation as a unique possibility to show exactly how good you are when you are at your very best. Remember to smile and be open when you enter the room as it contributes to a nice and safe atmosphere.
If you have prepared a Power Point presentation, then make sure you have rehearsed your presentation thoroughly. Underline your key points, be precise and keep the time. Also, have in mind that your arguments have to be based on theory and avoid slang, as it undermines your academic authority. Finally show enthusiasm and passion for your subject matter – its contagious!
If you are nervous, then always let your teacher and censor know, they will always do their best to get you back on track!
The written exam
How should I approach the written exam?
Make sure to show up for the written exam in good time. Find your chair, sit down and start getting ready. Unpack the things you are going to use. Read through the entire assignment and organise your time. Think about how many questions there are and how much time you can spend on each. If you feel stuck on a specific question, put it away for now and move on to the next. Then you can come back later with a fresh perspective.
Wear some clothes that you feel comfortable in as you will have to sit down for a long time to do the written exam.
Online exam
How should I approach an online exam?
In many ways, an online exam is like a regular oral exam. Before your online exam, as before a regular exam, you must prepare thoroughly and also familiarise yourself with the programme curriculum and the exam framework, so that you know what is expected of you.
Of course, an online exam is a little different. The fact that the exam doesn’t take place in a physical space means that you must focus on slightly different factors and take a few other things into account than normally.
After the exam
What should I do after the exam?
The feedback from the examiner and co-examiner is input you can use to raise your professional level. Keep in mind that this is not personal criticism. If it does not go well, remember this is not a reflection on you as a person. Once the exam is over and you have had a chance to get the exam at a distance, sit down and consider what went well and less well and what you may do differently next time.
If you have taken a group exam, it is a good idea to evaluate your feedback together. Perhaps there is something about the exam or the feedback which is unclear to you - and which your group members can help you understand. Or vice versa.