Battle the Boards

Updated on: Saturday, February 11, 2012

DON'T FRET:

For Parents:

1.Use encouraging words and avoid criticism.

2.Be around,but notover involved.

3. Create an ambience for the child to share his/ her fears.

For Students:

1. Avoid excessive tea, coffee and aerated drinks.

2. Ensure an uninterrupted eight-hour sleep.

3.Do not bother about the marks in the prelims, just focus on the final exams

4.If you are doing well, letit not affect you; continue enjoying your studies.

5.Begin the day by studying favourite subjects to generate a good mood for the day.

6.When anxious, studying the easy answers helps to relax and move on.

7.Disturbing thoughts may be tackled by allowing it to come and leave, you can get over suchfeeling by listening tomusic, going for a jog, sharing these thoughts with family or friends.

8.Avoid people who scare you and talk to those who help and heal.

9.Play for around half an hour daily to keep the brain fit and active.

10.Do not discuss about careers while studying.

11.If very sad, tense oranxious, see a counsellor immediately or call 1860 266 2345 / 02225706000

- Harish Shetty, Psychiatrist

EAT RIGHT:

1.Keep ready-to-eat healthy snacks accessible. Incorporate wholesome snacks like fresh fruits, milk, wholegrain crackers, popcorn, kurmura, khakra, idlis, poha, upma and peanut butter sandwiches

2.Follow structured eating and snacking times each day. Skipping meals can make you irritable.

3.t eat in front of the television. Sit down and eat slowly.

4.t eat at fast food joints.

5.Fluctuating blood sugar levels can create a neurotransmitter imbalance, causing you to feel fidgety, irritable, inattentive and even sleepy

6.Eat right.Have small helpings five to six times a day. Optimum nutrition is a huge factor in sharpening the mind and improving memory.

7.Have a positive attitude. A positive spirit ensures not only a healthy mind but also a healthy heart.

8.Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water everyday, to hydrate brain cells.

9.Have 5-6 almonds a day to boost memory.

10.Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids contribute to optimum brain performance. Fish, shellfish, nuts, seeds and oils from soya bean, safflower, flax seeds and walnuts contain high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

- Namita jain, Clinical Wellness Specialist

TIME TRICKS:

1.Prioritise your tasks, arrange in order of importance and urgency. Avoid the ll do it later attitude.

2.Be aware of your best study time of the day. Create weekly plans.

3.Do not forget to schedule time for yourself -- for exercise, relaxation, and socialising.

4.Communicate your schedule to others- tell your friends, relatives, family members that you are only available at certain times of the day and not to expect a response at other times.

5.Use your free time wisely. Learn to say NO! Be assertive aboutfollowing your planned time.

6. Take short and quick breaks to refresh and rejuvenate your mind.

7. Do not just browse through pages and waste time.

8.Switch subjects after a while, or try to alternate between doing things you enjoy with things that you find challenging or boring.

9.wary of things that keep you from doing what you planned such as the TV, cell phone, telephone, etc.

10.Avoid study marathons like all nighters! Do not compromise on your hours of sleep.

11.By now you know your subject strength areas and pace of writing answers. So time your papers accordingly

- Swati Salunkhe, Career Counsellor

MEMO'RISE':

1.There are three rules for a perfect memory. Association- connect anything new you are trying to learn with something you already know; Imagination- form a mental image of what you read creating a picture memory which is superior to word memory; Ridiculous thinking- funny and absurd things are easier to remember.

2.Don't mug up information; instead try and understand the topic. Using only one sense (eye/ silent reading) forms inferior memory.

3.Fix the number of pages you want to complete in 50 mins. This will increase your learning speed and concentration level.

4.Roughly flip through the entire target portion. Read all headings, sub-headings, summarise paragraphs etc. This will arouse curiosity and make you inquisitive.

5.Mark key words as you read. Try to recall the gist. Re-read the paragraphs, consciously looking out for facts you could not recall and pay more attention to the key words.

6.Follow theMENTAL RECALLREREAD method. Oral self testing ensures that your mind is not wandering and the topic is memorised.

7.Make a habit to mark small margin and 3d notes containing important information. Go through them during your revision sessions.

8.To study subjects like history or biology, make conscious mental movies and mental images, let the topics come alive with the finest details in your imagination. These will go in your permanent memory and all you have to do to is run it in the mind and express it on paper.

- Shalu Bhambri, Memory Training Expert

Courtesy: Myeducationtimes.com

Times of India

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