You want to score good marks in board exams. That’s the dream, right?
And you’re working day in and day out for that.
You’re studying till late at night.
You’re skipping parties and marriage functions.
Heck, you aren’t even going for your morning walks.
In other words, you’re doing everything you possibly can because you know that higher marks in board exams will help you make a good career.
But still, nothing seems to work. The more you revise, the more you feel it’s all going in vain. And now, you’re even getting nightmares about your board exams.
That’s alright.
Listen: Most students feel the same (even the bookworms with shiny golden spectacles) when board exams are around the corner. Fortunately, there are ways to beat exam anxiety and score high in the board.
And that’s exactly what we shall discuss in this article.
Are you ready?
Let’s go.
Want to Score Good Marks in Board Exams? Declutter Your Life
Clutter can cause anxiety.
You see, anxiety is a symptom that you have more items on your To-Do list than you can handle. So, it’s time to declutter your life.
Now, here’s the thing:
Clutter has many forms, but here, we’ll focus on Social media and friends.
Let’s take social media first.
Social Media
Have you ever noticed how much time you spend on Facebook or WhatsApp?
A lot.
Social media is addictive. And it’s designed to be so. Social media apps want you to spend as much time as you can browsing and commenting. That’s why social media is the modern world’s most dangerous time-killer.
And by the way, what exactly do you do on social media?
Browsing photos.
Checking status updates.
Laughing at silly jokes.
And stuff like that, right? Believe it or not, you can free up a lot of time if only you could minimize (or eliminate) your socializing time.
Here’s how:
Ask yourself, “Do I really need so many social media apps on my phone? Can I delete some of them?”
(On a side note: I deleted WhatsApp from my smartphone back in 2015, and guess what, I am still alive (surprise, surprise!)). (Update 11/06/2024: I had to re-install WhatsApp due to professional compulsions. Well, it is what it is. 😉 )
There’s something called “text messages,” and most smartphones have it.
I understand that it might not be possible for you to quit WhatsApp once and for all. And that’s fine. Maybe you could put it on hold until your board exams are over, huh?
The same is true for every other social media platform.
Put them on hold.
Also, turn off their notifications emails so you can focus on your studies and not get distracted.
Friends
Are you wondering why I put friends in the clutter category? Am I anti-friendship?
Of course, not.
It’s good to have friends.
But there might be some losers in your friend circle that lurk around to use your Wi-Fi.
Beware of them!
Ask yourself:
Would the people I call “friends” still be with me if I had no Wi-Fi or computer (Or Xbox?)
If the answer is no, then most probably you’re spending (read: wasting) time with a bunch of good-for-nothing fellows.
It’s time to say goodbye to them.
And now, here are the tips to help you score good marks in your board exams.
Complete the Most Difficult Tasks First
Most of us avoid difficult tasks.
And we do that by spending too much time on trivial things. Such as spending time eating breakfast, doing daily chores, or tidying our study rooms.
Remember, certain things matter, while some others don’t. And the things that do matter are the most important ones. So learn to differentiate between the two.
You are preparing for your board exams. And the only thing that matters right now is your studies.
Make sure you study first thing in the morning because, after a good night’s sleep, the mind stays relaxed, and you can accomplish more in less time.
Wake up a little early. Drink some water. Walk. Answer nature’s call. Wash your face. And then study for about 2 hours.
Bathing or eating?
Nope. Because if you do all that, then by the time you finish, half the day will be over, and then you’ll not feel like studying for long.
Complete your studies first.
And remember to set realistic goals.
Set Realistic Goals to Score Good Marks in Board Exams
When it comes to your studies, be practical.
Don’t try to complete ten chapters a day; instead, cover 3-4 lessons. This is important because you’ll lose trust in yourself if you aim for 10 chapters and miss even one.
And losing trust is not a good thing.
Be steady, and keep moving ahead every day. Remember: You get results for what you do regularly, not once in a while.
Setting reasonable goals during board exams (and achieving them) will increase your self-esteem, which will encourage you to aim a little higher the next day.
Study NCERT Books First
It happened during my 12th board exam preparations:
One of my cousins visited us (who had topped the board exams in his school days). He was discussing my board preparations, “So, have you completed the NCERT books?”
“NCERT books? No.” (I was a bit confused).
“What? Why? What are you studying then?”
“Umm…refreshers,” I murmured.
“Shit! Didn’t you know studying NCERT books is the best way to clear your concepts?”
And there I was—staring at his face like a retard.
Now, here’s the thing:
As a student, you may also believe that NCERT books are not detailed enough, which might be true.
But anyone aiming to score his best in the board exams must focus on understanding the concepts. And that’s exactly what NCERT books do—they explain the concept clearly. Of course, you can also use refreshers, but only after you’ve mastered the NCERT textbooks.
So, if you haven’t already done that, I urge you to pick your NCERT books and get started. And that brings us to our next point: how to read for clarity?
The Feynman Technique
The crux of the Feynman Technique is:
If you can’t explain it, you don’t understand it well enough.
In other words, you must be able to explain to others in simple language what you’ve learned. Here are its four steps:
Step 1. Read and understand the concept.
Step 2. Pretend you’re explaining the concept to a classroom full of students. (It can help you pinpoint the holes in your knowledge).
Step 3. If you’re stuck, reread the chapter.
Step 4. Repeat Step 2. This time, use even simpler language.
Become Selfish
Be selfish.
Focus on your studies, and forget everything else.
Indeed, some people may consider you an unsocial or unfriendly person, but what does it matter?
Only you’re responsible for your marks in the board exams. So, make sure you embrace selfishness.
Feeling Bored? Do This
Reading a subject for too long may cause boredom.
Try switching the topics.
For instance, if you have been studying science for the past two days, why not switch to English for a day or two?
If you were practicing Maths, try reading some Hindi poetry today, and when you get bored of Hindi, switch to Social Studies.
The idea is to keep your studies exciting and manageable.
Nervous About the Board Results?
Exam nervousness is a common thing.
And the worst part?
The more you try to push it away, the stronger it gets.
Nervousness is a symptom that you need to work on your self-trust. Here’s how:
Give Up
You’ve been fighting with the nervousness. And that’s giving it more and more power.
It’s time to take your power back.
Sit in a quiet place. Close your eyes, and feel your nervousness totally. Then, if your body feels like shaking with fear, allow it. Please don’t fight, don’t condemn it, rather be friends with it.
Say to yourself:
“I admit that I am nervous about my board results. I am not sure if I will be able to get high marks in board exams. And I also know there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Surrender. Give up. Let go.
Stay with the feeling for as long as you wish. And you’ll witness a miracle: the moment you stop fighting, the nervousness starts disappearing.
Make Time for Fun
Preparing for board exams can leave you tired at times.
Remember, there’s no need to torture yourself. Instead, do your best and also make some time for fun. Here are some ideas:
- Go for a walk.
- Watch a movie.
- Spend time with friends.
- Play games (or maybe video games, huh?)
Take some time off. Relax.
Attend “Extra Classes” to Clear Your Doubts
Eat everything but never eat your doubts.
Only two kinds of people don’t have doubts—the most intelligent and the dumbest.
The rest of us need to do some work to clear our doubts. And you do that by asking questions.
If your school offers extra classes, take advantage of them.
Visit the Examination Centre Once in Advance
Visit your exam center once before your first board exam.
Familiarise yourself with the route, and the bottlenecks. And also, calculate the reasonable amount of time you shall need to get there.
Never assume you’ll locate the exam center with Google Maps on the exam day itself. A Google map is handy for sure, but it is still a map—a collection of lines and images, which at times may confuse you. So, don’t take the risk.
Sleep Early on the Night Before Exam Day
Let’s say you are to participate in a race at 7 am.
Would you keep practicing until 3 am the night before? You won’t because the body needs time to recover so it can give its best.
The same is true for exams.
Many students study till late in the night before the exam day. As a result, they get very little sleep. As a result, the body and mind get disturbed, and they face a hard time solving the question paper the following day.
And the worst part?
They fail to recall even the simplest answers because of mental fatigue.
So, make sure you focus on your studies during exam days until 6-7 pm at the most. After that, fuggedaboudit!
Read the Question Paper from Start to Finish
Read the question paper from the beginning till the end (before you attempt it).
It’ll give you an idea of how many answers you know and how many you don’t.
Now, take a deep breath and start attempting the questions. Remember, answer those questions you know well first (let’s call it the first phase). And keep the ones you’re not confident about for the second phase.
Let’s say you know the answers to all the questions except Q1 and Q7. Please don’t waste time figuring out how to solve them. Instead, move on and answer other questions.
Once the first phase is over, go back to the questions you’re not sure about. Now, try to think of ways to answer those questions too. Again, aim to attempt as many questions as you can to help you score maximum marks.
You Can Score Good Marks in Board Exams
Board exams are a milestone in a student’s life. And the pressure to score good marks in boards can really make you jittery.
Fortunately, you can score good marks in board exams now that you know some practical tips.
So, pull yourself up and get to work.
Best of luck!