The second day of the National High School Entrance Examination (ENEM) will be held this Sunday (16th). The exam, which gives students from all over Brazil the chance to get into university, is a moment of great tension for many students. It’s not uncommon for candidates to be nervous and anxious.
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Since it is a time of evaluation, stress causes negative thoughts and takes attention away from the problem. Check out these three tips to stay calm and focused when answering questions, created by Michael Duarte, a psychologist at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul.
During moments of stress, like the Enem test, memories of previous failures often take over your thinking, Duarte says. Additionally, worries about the future can also stress students, as tests determine their next steps. Psychologists say the ideal is to focus on yourself and your previous preparations.
— The best way to deal with this is to remain calm and realize that you have studied for the test and have the knowledge to answer the questions. And if it doesn’t work out at some point, it doesn’t mean anything because it’s impossible to predict the outcome, he says.
Tests come with a lot of questions, but taking breaks, even short ones, can make a difference in staying focused. You can use this time to go to the bathroom or drink water. Duarte suggests stopping changing themes.
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— It takes away some of that work, reduces the cognitive load and mental effort that comes with taking a test, and allows you to continue a little more relaxed. It’s like a race. Doing everything at once when you’re not used to it can be exhausting. However, if you run a little, stop, and continue, it will be easier to complete the task.
Another tip is to understand your own limitations and know how to prioritize problems. Duarte said the test has a lot of questions, so time can’t be wasted on complicated questions, which can cause even more anxiety and tension. At this point, you should move forward, answering the questions that are more likely to be answered correctly.
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— We need to work on this acceptance. Due to time constraints, students know that they cannot answer 100% of all questions. Therefore, he concludes, we should focus on things that are more certain, more confident, and guaranteed to know the answer.
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