D o tests and exams make you tense and nervous? If your answer is yes, don’t worry because you’re not alone. Evaluations can make just about anyone jittery—it’s just how human beings are wired.
While it’s perfectly normal to be concerned about your academic performance, it’s also important to cultivate a good level of self-assurance in your learning ability so you can achieve good results.
As a teen or young adult, confidence in any form may not come so easily, especially when you’re still getting used to the idea of being in secondary school or college. This lack of confidence however can interfere with your aptitude to study effectively, as well as recall what you’ve learned.
So how can you become a more confident student? Consider these 6 tips:
Opt for a Subject You Like
It’s normal for a student to like one subject and dislike another. So when given a choice, make sure you opt for a subject that you’re naturally good at. This gives you the opportunity to enjoy it even more, avoid having to constantly struggle and boost your confidence level at the same time.
When given a choice, opt for a subject that you’re naturally good at. Click To TweetDon’t Skip Classes
Unless you’re sick or have a family emergency, don’t skip classes. For one thing, you’ll get on your teacher or lecturer’s “bad books,” and you’ll miss out on key lessons and maybe even useful exam tips. Attending classes keeps you on the ball, which will give you the confidence you need to do well during exams
Talk to Your Teacher
A great way to steer yourself in the right direction is to talk to your teacher or lecturer about what you’re learning and how you’re doing. Keep an open mind, and don’t be afraid. Most importantly, don’t wait until the middle of the semester to get feedback!
Silence Your Negative Thoughts
How many times have you caught yourself thinking, “I’ll never understand this!” or “I’m going to fail this paper!” While it’s common for students to feel anxious about their performance, negative self-talk will only hold you back and hinder your learning.
Negative self-talk will only hold you back and hinder your learning. Click To TweetTake Comments Constructively
As a student, comments and criticism from your teacher or lecturer can be a blow to your confidence. Instead of choosing to fret over your teacher’s words and your mistakes, why not view things in a more positive light? If you use those comments to improve yourself, then you’re already a winner.
Pick up New Skills
Learning something new and developing a new skill is a great way to escape the doldrums of student life, and if it helps you to learn faster—all the better! One such skill is speed reading as it can give you a definite edge when it comes to covering the necessary reading material and retaining information from all that you’ve read.
While there are many things that you can do to become a more confident student, the important thing to remember is not to be immobilized by the fear of failure. Remember, mistakes are part and parcel of life, which is in itself a learning process.