How to get ready for exams without getting stressed?

Question:

There are many students who graduate the college this year and they have to take the final exam. What advice do you have for these students? How shall they get ready for exams without getting stressed?

Don’t put off the beginning of preparations

This is the sickness of all students – to put off the preparation for exams, or for dissertation until the very last moment. Here is what the Holy Spirit says in regard to this:

Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but the one who gathers by labor increases it. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs of Solomon 13:11–12)(NASB)

Even if it refers to wealth, this truth is directly applied to knowledge as well, that is also a great wealth. Knowledge that is obtained little by little increases, but when you put off the effort you have to make to study, you will not realize too much. And then, we, Moldavians, have a proverb that says:

The pig doesn’t gain weight before Christmas (the time when people usually cut it up )

Plan  the time of preparation

In his book, wise king Solomon also said:

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. (Proverbs of Solomon 21:5)(NASB)

In this proverb, the diligent man is not in contrast with the lazy one, but with the hasty one. Why? Because he doesn’t plan. Let us see how this proverb works in the life of a student. The diligent student will plan the process of preparation so that he will never be pressed by urgency and so, he will manage to get ready well for the daily lessons and for the final exams. The student who doesn’t plan his preparations acts led by urgency, becomes stressed, and he manages to get ready neither for lessons nor for exams, and, finally, he takes the exam badly, or doesn’t manage to take it, and what is the worst –  he doesn’t obtain the necessary knowledge to become a good specialist and to be useful for people. That’s why, take time now and plan well the process of preparation. Divide all you have to learn for exam, so that you may be stressed neither before nor during the exam because you haven’t managed to learn all necessary things.

Respect the priorities set by God

Don’t make an idol out of your studies, or of any other thing. All things have to have their position, but the priority must be the relationship with God. The Lord Jesus said the following in this regard:

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (The Gospel of Matthew 6:33)(NASB)

Take time to study the Holy Scriptures daily. This will bring you blessing in all regards, as God said through wise Solomon:

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. (Proverbs of Solomon 3:1–7)(NASB)

Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, read the Holy Scriptures, see what it is written there, tell your colleagues about the salvation brought by the Lord Jesus and think at their salvation from eternal death. Then, don’t put off your preparation for exams, but make a good plan and begin to work on the accomplishment of this plan. So God may help you.

Translated by Felicia Djugostran