Twitter
Advertisement

Tips from toppers: How to ace your Board exams

As the Class X board exams inch closer by the day, Sohini Das Gupta brings you some quick tips from toppers who have been there and done that

Latest News
article-main
Simple tricks can keep the Boards blues at bay
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

It isn't easy preparing for the exam commonly touted as "the biggest exam of your life". (Look bright, it's not. Really.) With old lessons sitting heavy in the head, new ones piling up, well-wishers clocking your study hours and finally, the study hours decreasing by the day, the countdown to your first board exams can be a scary affair. But, does it have to be? Not if you have a smart little plan in place.
So we've got three high-scorers from last year, trading the secrets to a stress-free lead up to one of the many exams you'll be taking in your life. Here's to beating the big fat boards blues!

Dhanvinkrishnan Gokulan
R.N. Podar School (CBSE)
Percentage: 96.2%    
Top score:  100 in Sanksrit

Solve past papers
Although I studied throughout the year, I drew up a routine only after the pre-boards. I set an alternate- day regimen of solving past papers and reading up the portions that I made most mistakes from. So I'd solve three papers each day—morning,noon, night—with substantial breaks in between. The errors that were thrown up while correcting the papers would be my topics of revision the next day.
Solving papers gives you the confidence to take on any unforseen challenges during the real exams. It also gives you a sense of your strengths and weaknesses, while improving time management.

Keep your 'enemies' closer
My favourite subjects were English, Social Science, Chemistry and Biology. I can't say the same for Math and Physics—which is why I put in extra hours for them, reworking the shaky areas over and over again.

Relax, catch a break
Breaks are very important, because you don't want to cram too much at a go and then zone out. I would watch TV, step out to meet my friends, or even play basketball and go swimming during my breaks. I took care not to over-indulge or over-exert myself—instead using the activities as refreshing breathers.

Sleep tight
I cannot stress this enough. Sleep is your BFF when it comes to pre-exam fitness—mental and physical. It calms your jitters and chances are you won't blank out in the examination hall. The night before my exams, I actually went to bed by 10:30 pm.

Pick your motivation
I always wanted to do well. But the additional motivation came in form of my sister, who'd secured a 95 per cent and would  not stop bragging about it. I wanted to top her, and well, I did.
Don't be frazzled by that element of unfamiliarity in an examination hall with invigilators. It will pass after your first paper! Set your own goals, chase them proportionally, and you'll do well.

Tip
Try approaching that iffy-looking question with an open mind. Should you find yourself stuck or zoning out, close your eyes, take a 20-second brain-breather. Then refocus and carry on

Lipika Gupta
VIBGYOR High, ICSE
Percentage: 96.4 %    
Top Score: 99 in Mathematics

Buck up, now
I had been avoiding Geography, a not-so-favourite subject, for a long time before I realized that's exactly where I needed to buckle up. Pick up that textbook, set a time target and plough through the syllabus just once. After that, it's much easier. Trust me.

Practice constructive 'chilling'
Don't sit idle during your breaks. Do what you love. I played the guitar, listened to music, stepped out or watched movies. Unlike TV shows, movies get over in a couple of hours and chances are you won't get sucked in.

Be your own clock
I put in around three hours in the morning, three in the noon, and two hours at night. I woke up early, went to bed early, because it worked for me. Studying at your own time really helps focus.

Know when to give up
If you are slogging over a particular thing that just won't register, stop. Give up, for a while. Go back to it later. Only when you are not taxing your brain will it sink in.

Tip
Do not let the results of your prelims bog you down. Prelims are designed to be tougher than boards, something you realize only in hindsight

Pranali Oza
Utpal Shanghvi Global School, SSC
Percentage: 95.2    
Top Score: 99 in Mathematics

Keep at it
I liked all subjects, but the learn-by-heart bits of history and geography gave me a hard time. I simply kept re-reading till I finally remembered them.
 
Set daily goals
During the peak preparation time, I studied for 12 hours a day. But instead of setting elaborate targets, I drew up daily goals. I'd tell myself I would complete this chapter, or those many answers, by the end of the day. And I'd do it.

Break the habit
Breaks spilling over into study time is not unusual. It happened to me all the time. It's then that you've got to use some self-control and snap out of it.

Use tutorials for extra practice
I took tutions for Mathematics, Science, Marathi and Hindi. Tutorials hand out sums and questions that need solving on a regular basis. This gives you the extra practice you'd probably not have got at home.

Space it out
Rather than letting it pile up, space out your lesson plans as evenly as possible from before. It reduces most of the tension.

Tip
Incase you are studying last minute, leave out the extra material and stick to the school text books. It really works, especially for the SSC board

 

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement