I had a friend who never used to get anxious and lived stress-free even 24 hours prior to the exam. However, mostly he used to re-sit them as well. Eventually, I figured out that he just doesn’t care about exams. I am sure none of us would want such a stress-free day.
Over time, I tried various things and I feel what works best is to prepare yourself as much as you can a day prior to the exam and then gradually cool down when you enter the last 24 hours of the doomsday. Just like you would cool down after a sprint on the treadmill. I realised that no matter what I used to study in last 24 hours, little of it would stay in my mind on the day of exam. The last day was left only for a quick revision and staying fresh. I would either go for a run, watch a movie or at the least sleep early so that I can enter the exam hall with a fresh mind. The key to this strategy is that you ensure that you are well prepared and fully confident a day before the exam. Of course, if there are chapters left to be completed, then it is likely that you will be staying up all night and going into the exam with an anxious mind.
I have always believed in ‘study smart, not hard.’ Smartly managing your time and preparation can surely save you from much avoidable stress. If not, then you always have a second option of being like my friend and having a stress-free night.
