The Ultimate Guide to Surviving a Major Exam

With the major exams looming over the horizon every semester, it would come as no surprise that stress levels in the family reach all-time highs at regular intervals every year. As the pressure to perform well takes the front seat in the lives of students taking a major exam, it falls upon the shoulders of parents/guardians to make sure that it does not take a toll on students' overall well-being as well.

Working closely with many batches of parents/guardians over the years, we have put together a simple, three-part formula as to how you can make a difference to the health and wellness of your precious one during exam season and especially in his/her PSLE year.

#1 Study smart

For students who are struggling with how to study efficiently, we suggest starting them off by listing tested topics and gathering all relevant notes and materials. With their resources organised, they can now create a detailed study timetable. Taking into account the demanding workload of multiple subjects, it is best to begin revision early. Rather than gambling on the effectiveness of last-minute cramming, planning ensures a prolonged stamina and manages stress when it comes to studying for a major exam.

Every week, allocate study sessions for different topics, keeping each one within 1-2 hours (depending on your child’s attention span). To prevent your child from overloading their planner with overly-ambitious goals, remind them to be realistic and specific in stating what needs to be done, such as: “Read pages 1-15 of English textbook 3A.” Include an objective for each day or week, such as: “Familiarize myself with grammar rules,” or “Memorize the function of all the literary devices.” Tweak the schedule as you find what works for your child. Of course, all work and no play does make Jack a dull boy, so don’t forget to schedule in breaks to relax and unwind too!

#2 Eat well

Let’s face it, children aren’t always the best judge of a healthy diet. Add on the additional struggle of trying to stay on top of their studies, and you can bet eating an apple a day is amongst the least of their concerns. As much as possible, provide your kid with well-balanced meals and incorporate sound nutrition into their meals with ingredients like fruits and vegetables – save the chocolate sundae for a sweet incentive after the exams! In addition, ensure that they drink plenty of water and take supplements to keep their immune system strong.

#3 Sleep tight

Juggling the stress of a major exam, long hours in school, revision and tuition takes up a substantial amount of time. This typically results in children burning the midnight oil and cutting back on sleep. However, studies have shown that a growing child requires 7-9 hours of rest at night in order for their body to recuperate and function properly the next day as well as for the immune system to work well. To instil a healthy sleep cycle, fix a suitable bedtime for your kid and enforce it diligently with a bedtime routine for the whole family. A good night’s sleep is the simplest yet most effective way to ensure that your child wakes up with an alert mind and walks into the exam hall more than ready to ace their paper!