How to deal with exam stress?

The term 'exam stress' can be broadly defined as a feeling of anxiety over one's performance in the exams, the results and reaction of parents and friends; all weigh upon students to create exam stress.

Well examination is a form to judge your preparation, so keep aside your fear and before the examination gear yourself well. Prepare the entire important topics well. On the day of the examination avoid last minute mugging and stressing. And you should have a good sleep the previous night.

Some of the important facts for having a relaxed mind during exams are as follows:

·         It’s good to be an organized person, keep all the required things for exams handy like your  admit card, stationery, watch etc. last minute searching for things can stress your mind and further create panic during exam and in return it might be more disastrous.

·         Before you to go to exam always take energy producing food and avoid heavy food as might make you sleepy during exams. Never go in empty stomach as you might end up concentrating more on your hunger than your exam Paper. Fruit, milk, eggs are good source of energy. Strictly no to rice or puri they are really heavy. If possible carry a water bottle with you to exam hall to rehydrate.

·         Before the examination just be relaxed and don’t let your brain stress by feeding more information into it as it’s already worked – up. Be confident to whatever you have learned and try to put a good picture of what you have prepared. A tired mind will do no good, so it’s necessary to go the hall with a refreshed mind. Instead of trying to revise that very last point you forgot to learn, try to recall those topics in your head. Keep an organized and open mind without putting a pressure on yourself to learn that other point. The chances are you will only remember what you learn before exam and panic with other parts.

·         Once you get the question paper in your hand make a quick plan how to invest time in each question and mark the questions which you know the best  and attempt them first , in this manner you will appreciate yourself  for remembering the solutions and answer and your brain will work better. Never curse yourself if you forgot or didn’t study something which you thought of studying, as thinking of it would just waste your time and would be fruitful if concentrate on the present situation.

·         It is very important to check your answers again in the end. Devote your last 15 minutes to review your answers and in this process you might come across with careless mistakes and make the required corrections accordingly.

·         Avoid discussing on how your friends have written, as knowing how your friend did would add more worries.you are losing your time and peace of mind trying to know what others did or spending energy on worrying which is already past. Concentrate on how you will face your next exam or how you are going to spend your time efficiently.

All the best!

23 Things Every Teen Should Do for a Happy, Healthy Life

1. Realize that you control what goes into your body.
2. Realize that it's never too late to start adopting healthy habits. You get a do‑over.
3. Walk ten thousand steps a day (about five miles).
4. Have one buddy who shares your ideals about living a healthy lifestyle and who you're comfortable talking with about healthy habits.
5. Avoid known toxins such as tobacco, bisphenol A (BPA) in plastics, and toxins found in dry cleaning and some cosmetic products.
6. Regularly avoid the major categories of unhealthy foods: saturated fats, trans fats, added sugar, added syrup, non–100 percent whole grains.
7. Eat cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, watercress, and arugula three times a week.
8. Take a multivitamin every day and get your recommended daily amount of calcium through food or supplements as well as vitamin D and omega-3 fats.
9. Floss and brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day.
10. Have your waist size equal less than half your height (in inches).
11. Sleep seven and a half to eight hours a night (in greater than ninety-minute blocks).
12. Do some kind of exercise nearly every day, including some form of resistance exercise and cardiovascular exercise.
13. Do one small (or big) form of stress management every day. Have your vaccinations against major diseases up to date.
14. Commit to not texting and driving.
15. Have a passion. And do it as often as you can! Safely.
16. Protect your ears from noise louder than a lawn mower (including keeping your personal device on less than 70 percent of max when using earphones).
17. Keep your phone and other devices out of your hands (and away from your eyes) while driving (or walking, if you're in urban areas).
18. Find a mentor.
19. Practice smart internet safety, knowing that what you write or post can be saved forever, and be smart about who you communicate with.
20. Eliminate processed foods from your diet and substitute 100 percent whole wheat flour for white flour where you can.
21. Eat five servings of fruits and veggies per day.
22. Eat fruit but skip the juice unless you are specifically trying to gain weight.
23. Wear a helmet when cycling, biking and wear a seat belt whenever you're in a car.

Appropriate dress code for an Interview

The first impression is the last impression:  the first impression you make on your employer is the most important as the first judgment the interviewer makes will be entirely based on how you look and what are you wearing, hence it’s important to dress professionally regardless of the work environment.

You would always love to give the best impressions, as in general a person with suit & tie would fetch more than the candidate dressed in scruffy Jeans and a T- shirt.

Given below some of the tips on’ what to wear’ to an interview for professional, Casual & startup companies, when you want to give the best impression ever.

How to dress for a Professional interview

Men’s Attire for interview

• Suit mostly navy blue or dark grey. 
• Long sleeves shirt white or coordinated with the suit. 
• Belt, tie  and dark socks  with a pair of formal shoes.
• Neat, professional hair styles.
• Limit the after shave.
• Neatly trimmed nails.
• Portfolio

Women’s attire for interview

• Suit mostly navy blue, black or dark grey.
• The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit comfortably.
• Coordinated tops and shirts with a pair of formal shoes. 
• Limited jewellery  (no danglings or arm full of bracelets)
• Professional hair styles.
• Light make up and perfume
• Neatly manicured clean nails.
• Portfolio

Less formal interview attire

When a work place or the job is less formal, the dress code may be as well. If you are not sure what to wear its better you asked the person who is scheduling the interview. But please do opt for some nice dress which look good in you and the comfortable ones.

What not to bring to the interview

• Gum
• Cell phone (if carrying on switch-off mode)
• If you have lots of piercing leave some at home and earrings are the best.
• Cover tattoos

Interview attire tips

• Before going to interview, check your attire, if it correctly fits you.
• Get your attire ready the night before so that you don’t waste time doing it on the day of interview.
• Polish your shoes
• Use a breathe mint before you enter the building.

Eating Right

During exams, students need to eat right and are required to take vitamins which enable them to perform well.

Given below, some tips on what food to eat during exams to keep you fit and get going.

Iron and B vitamins are essential to keep both physical and mental energy of a body to study well. Good source of iron are red meat, cereal and spinach, and food that contains B vitamins are whole-grain, wheat germ, eggs and nuts. Fish and soy are other food that helps in boosting your brain by providing required nutrients.

Taking dietary supplement is good, but real food is better. So keep handy of fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, carrot sticks or dried apricots which contain vitamins, fibre, beta carotene and other essential minerals.

Eating regular meals helps keeping nutrients and energy levels more stable, rather than taking the standard 3 big meals a day which will make you slow physically and mentally.

Take your breakfast everyday as its one of the most important meal of the day. A cup of tea and biscuits are not the right bite, the idea is to get some protein, fibre, calcium, fruits or vegetables. A bowl of cereal with milk or yogurt with slices of fruits would do wonders.

Blueberries are good for brains, because they contain powerful antioxidants and other nutrients. The natural sugars in fruit offer clean energy, so you don’t experience the crash that follows consumption of refined sugar.

All vegetables are not created equal; take the vegies which are darker in colour as they contain higher concentration of nutrients. E.g. spinach, bell peppers, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.

Choose your beverages well, though. Caffeine and sugar should be kept to a minimum. Since too much caffeine can make you jittery, try to drink moderate amounts: 2/2.5 cups per day. Better choices include water, fruit juice, milk, and anti-oxidant-rich green tea.