Exams : Expectations v\s Reality

Author: Swati Mohandas

As someone has rightly said, ‘The biggest issue in life is the image in our heads of how it should be’. Our unrealistic expectations can distract us from the reality of our goals. 

In this article, I will be stating a few misconceptions students have about exams. 

1. Expectation – You only need to study the night before the exam. 
Reality – No exam can be thoroughly prepared for at the last minute, you should have already begun studying. As your levels of education increase, the content gets harder, the competition gets tougher and the stakes are higher.

2. Writing exams – You will not be able to focus for 2+ hours and that too in a hall with so many other students.
Reality – It can be intimidating at first to walk into the big hall and find your seat but once you are at your seat with the papers in front of you everything else will seem to fade into the distance. So, don’t be too nervous about not being able to focus, as soon as you start writing your brain will begin its work and nothing will be able to break it. 

3. Multiple choice questions are easy. 
Reality – Multiple choice questions are the hardest. They are as confusing as they can get. At least 3 of the 5 options given seem correct at that moment. 

4. Failing exams – if you fail an exam it is the end of the world.
Reality – it’s important to have a perspective on how much exams mean to you but NO, failing exams does not imply that it is the end of the world. No matter what grade you get, you will still have the important things in your life whether it is your family, friends etc. 

Hopefully, now you have a more realistic set of expectations for the exam season. This may not reduce any of the stress you are feeling but at the very least you can divert your energy towards the issues that warrant it. You can always reach out to someone you trust to guide and give you a much clearer perspective on handling the exam stress and taking it in your stride.