Storytelling is hard. You have to take the blame of being a bad listener, because you are always busy talking!! Willing to take the blame and overwhelmed by responses of my readers, I decided to pen down another story as another blog.
This session mentions a quick and effective last minute tips to follow a week before the NPT exam. I have deliberately kept it short and written it to the point to not consume too much of your time while you still can know what you should.
As it gets closer to the big day, our head clouds up with more thoughts and myths, which we ourselves find it hard to distinguish between. However, it is during these last few days when you have to hold your horses and keep your mind as stable as possible to be able to survive and succeed through NPTE.
A quick read through these points should relieve some of your stress buds especially during those critical final few days before you hit the target:
Beat the Panic:
It’s human to panic especially when it is about something that matters so much to your future. TRY NOT TO. For a simple reason, that its not going to help. I soon realized that panic not only developed fear in my head but made me doubt my decisions. All I did was kept my headstrong, took a deep breath, told myself everything’s ok and that I have got this!
Don’t overthink:
Most of us tend to look at this exam as a giant monster in our head and unnecessarily worry about it. I had started to ask these dangerous questions to myself while appearing the exam, “What if I don’t score as much as I need?” “Will I have to re-appear?” “What will others think of me?” “What will I answer my family?” these questions were not only a distraction but lead me to make more mistakes.
Re-appearing is a boon: (skip this if you aren’t)
Don’t be ashamed, it has an extra advantage. If you are reappearing, doesn’t matter the number of attempt, you should think of having an upper hand, since you have been there and done that. So, stay positive and consider yourself as an expert! And if it’s your first, never be afraid of failure!
Short term memory loss:
I actually thought I had one. It was during these days I wanted an assurance if I remembered everything, in the process I kept quizzing myself randomly. A few failed attempts followed by fear and anxiety would pull my morale down. Not something I could afford at that time. That’s when I decided to not torture myself anymore and believe that it is saved somewhere in my brain storage and will be available at the right time.
Stick to the plan:
By this time, I had decided on a schedule to follow, last practice exam to be given or important topics to be revised. I was certain to stick to it. Part of me was distracted by others posting their scores and mentioning important last minute topics on social media, but the other part of me made me firm enough to follow the plan I had for myself because I know I was my best judge!
Mimic the big day:
I started rehearsing my big day 7 days out. I started waking up at the same time as it was scheduled for the exam so that I can set my body clock and be ready to perform for 5 long hours after. I ate well and on time. I meditated at least 10 minutes a day. These little things surprisingly had big roles in my success.
Lift your morale high:
I just couldn’t afford negative thoughts especially at this time, not that I didn’t get any. But I strived hard to not let them affect me. I constantly thought of good scores in my previous practice exams, difficult questions I solved and boosted my confidence by praising myself.
Do not study at all on the last day! I suggest going on a drive, watch a movie or spend time with your family, whichever takes your mind off and helps you relax. I slept for good 8 hours and ate a healthy breakfast before I left. On my way to the exam center, I sang Katy Perry’s, “coz I am a champion and your gonna hear me roar!!” I sounded crazy and super confident!
As I stepped out of the exam hall, I had not clue how it went. One thing I was sure of, it was over for now and I had to celebrate it. Irrespective of the results, I had worked hard for it and I deserved a treat!!
Its hard, but you got to achieve it. Simply go for it and don’t look back. You know you can do it and you will!
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