How Can Students Avoid Self-Doubts During Exams?

It is normal to experience self-doubt and anxiety during exams or when faced with any challenging situation. Each one of us has experienced such feelings of uncertainty in our lives. Self-doubt can stem because of several reasons. Past negative experiences, insecurities or societal pressure are some common causes.

Feelings of self-doubt can have an adverse impact on a person. If these feelings are not addressed, it can lead to low self-esteem, difficulty in decision-making and anxiety. We must learn to deal with and overcome these feelings on our own.

Ways to avoid self-doubt during exams:

Self-doubt during exam time can hold back students from giving their best. Even the brightest students have days of low self-esteem and confidence. If you’re a student experiencing self-doubt, remind yourself that it is normal to have these thoughts.

There are ways to overcome these feelings and conquer self-doubt. Try these to get rid of any unhelpful thoughts and feel more confident.

• Don’t compare yourself to others

Healthy competition is good but comparing yourself, or your achievements with someone else’s is counterproductive. If you have self-doubts and feel you cannot perform as well as others, this kind of comparison becomes toxic for you, and you end up feeling paralyzed. It is important to understand that everybody’s journey is different, and we should only focus on our path.

• Don’t sweat the small stuff

Feelings of self-doubt give rise to imaginary fears and worries. So instead of overthinking and exaggerating them, try to view the problem realistically. Understand the root cause of your anxiety and try to address it. As soon as you understand that you are beginning to overthink something, tell your brain to stop and distract yourself or instead say positive statements like, "I can do this. I just need to keep going. I am not going to give up now." This will help you to think logically and work towards the solution.

• Write down your fears and insecurities

Another effective way of dealing with self-doubt is to write down your thoughts and worries. You will realize that much of the fear leaves you by writing down your doubts and doubts. Things don't look as scary as they felt in your head. This will calm you down and allow you to focus on your exam preparation.

• Remember your past achievements

Reflect upon a time in the past when an exam or something challenging came up in which you were very nervous and scared, but you were able to perform well. Such instances in the past will remind you that you overpowered your self-doubts once and can do it again. On the other hand, be careful not to dwell upon your past failures. Every opportunity is a new chance to make things right. So, if you did not perform well in an exam before, study harder and do well this time.

• Focus on your preparation

You will conquer your self-doubts if you are fully prepared for a challenge or an exam. By doing the best you can for an exam, you strengthen your confidence. The more prepared you are to face a situation, the more confident you will be. Start studying and planning ahead of time, so you have plenty of time to study and revise before the exam.

• Be mindful of your thinking

Feelings of self-doubt arise from the negative thoughts we are so used to. These thoughts get engrained in our minds, and we start believing them to be true. Next time you have these thoughts, take a moment to realize that they result from your fears and have no real basis. Practice positive thinking regularly, and you will notice a shift in your mindset gradually.

• Be kind to yourself

Lastly, remember to be kind to yourself regardless of past mistakes or failures. Self-compassion is the term used by psychologists to explain how much love and care you show to yourself during tough times or when faced with self-doubt. The best way to overcome self-doubt is to be kind to yourself if you fail. You need to understand that everyone fails at some point in time. So forgive yourself.

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