7 Tips for Managing CAT exam preparation Stress

7 Tips for Managing CAT exam preparation Stress It’s an outdated fact now to believe that the most common fear in people is of Public Speaking as you stand alone in front of huge gathering. You experience your palms sweating, heart racing and parts of body shaking fact that the most common fear in this country is of public speaking. The conventional wisdom for battling stage fear is to imagine your audience in their underwear…or better yet, naked. For CAT test-takers who are with anxiety. How to control those test-day butterflies (and the sleepless nights that proceed them)? Why, with the following seven steps! 1. CAT exam preparation The anxiety originates from the unknown, the “what ifs” that float around in your head. The more you know, the fewer “what ifs” to be had. Know the format of the CAT inside and out. Know which kind of questions need to be focussed. Most importantly, study. Know the formulae properly and most importantly its application tested in cat. If you’re confident in your abilities, you’ll be able to fight off those jitters. 2. Once you’ve prepared, prepare even more Surely, you would have taken a number of mock tests, you score well, still you can do more. Keep revising the basics and most common formulae. Figure out where the test centre is and make a trial run. Know what you’re going to wear (yes, I’m actually serious about this). Choose comfortable clothes 3. Relax Close your eyes and dream of an exciting future, the places which you always wanted to visit. Take deep breaths. Listen to your favorite Gregorian chants. Get a massage. In the days leading up to the CAT, relax as much as you can. This is not to say that you should stop studying but don’t focus exclusively on the test. Also, remember that the CAT is not a test you can cram for; you will know majority of the material well before those final days and whatever you try to sneak in right at the end is not really going to matter. Do some practice problems and review your time management strategy, but do not go crazy. Do make sure to get plenty of rest and good food. But go out, enjoy life. 4. Indulge a bit Get as much rest as you can while you gear up for the CAT exam preparation. You may not have slept eight hours in a night since you were three years old but, guess what? But now is the time to wake up without putting on an alarm. Also, now is the time to make sure you’re taking your mother’s advice: eat your vegetables and take your vitamins. 5. Have a post-CAT plan Look, you’ve got a rough day ahead of you. No one is denying that. So give yourself something to look forward to, something positive you can think of which gives you pleasure. Plan to meet a friend for dinner, have tickets to that evening’s ballgame, or book a manicure for an hour after you’re done. You’re almost at the finish line! 6. If things do start to go differnt, keep your head up One of the worst things about test anxiety is when you get stuck in the starting question itself, you tend to lose confidence. Don’t let it. This is something you can control. The CAT is designed to be hard for everyone; don’t beat yourself up if you can’t answer a question. First of all, you don’t have time to do it, it is meant to be left. Just walk on next without bothering. 7. Start LIFE again Some people who reduce using facebook for sharing photos and unnecessary chatting while they are preparing for something very serious that is CAT. You take a break. Its time to break that fast. Just start enjoying the way you used to. Soothe yourself and refresh your mind.