Students reveal secret to success in exams
Diya Maria Thomas, who achieved the top score in the ISC exams in Dubai with 99.25 per cent, highlighted the importance of taking breaks between studies to maintain focus and alleviate stress.
The 17-year-old said whether it’s going for a walk, grabbing a snack, or simply taking a few moments to relax and chat with a family member, incorporating breaks into her study routine and taking care of her mental and physical well-being during exam time has helped her to relax and stay calm.
“For me, taking short breaks really helps. But during these breaks, I wouldn’t be on my phone because that would distract me. I would just walk around or talk to my mother and then I’d come back and sit down to study again.”
“I limit my phone usage around exam time by allocating specific time slots to review online material, allowing me to focus more on studying and less on distractions from my phone,” said the student, who now wants to pursue law at Durham University in England.
Diya pointed out the importance of not only establishing a strong foundation but also maintaining a consistent sleep schedule to ensure she stayed refreshed. “I slept enough and ate healthy meals.” She also paid attention to physical activity to reduce stress. “I tried exercising regularly. I would watch Youtube videos sometimes to exercise,” she added. “This is particularly important around the exam period because I feel adequate rest and exercise is crucial for optimal academic performance.”
Similarly, Praneshwar Eswaran, who topped the Science stream at GMA during the ISC exams with a score of 98.5 per cent, stressed that extracurricular pursuits such as music and martial arts have served as effective stress busters, particularly over the past two years.
The 17-year-old said he wasn’t a conventional student who focused only on academics. He attributes his success to a more holistic approach that he adopted all along his student life.
Praneshwar added: “I wasn’t the most studious person, putting in a lot of hours studying. I think the one thing that really helped me was ECA. Although we do call it extracurricular activities, I really think it helps you even in your academic life, especially if you’ve pursued it over a long period of time. It helps in cognitive-processing skills.”
“I play the keyboard and I often release music on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon Music. This has been my passion that I’ve honed all along in spite of academic pressures and I think all these things have stood me good stead.”
Praneshwar shared that another important element in his life was his commitment to physical activity. “I dedicated at least seven hours per week to playing badminton and practising Silambam, a traditional Tamil martial art. Despite all this, I maintained my academic focus without deviation from my routine. The supportive environment at both home and school were instrumental in facilitating this balance,” he added.