With Matric final exams only weeks away, it’s natural to feel the pressure, regardless of your level of preparation. For most students, the next few weeks will be filled with revision, mostly dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s as they prepare to write the final assessments of their school careers. Many other students will, however, currently be finding themselves at their wits’ end, knowing that no matter how much time they put in, chances are they won’t do as well as hoped.

Some may even need to come to terms with the prospect that they could be failing one or more subjects, leaving them with elevated levels of anxiety and uncertainty about the road ahead.

“Whether you’re struggling with one or two subjects or feeling overwhelmed by the entire exam, it’s important to take a breath and honestly evaluate your situation. There is still time to ensure you do as well as possible where you can, while setting your mind at ease that there are pathways to success after the exams, should some of your fears be realised,” says Dingaan Moropane, Acting Deputy Dean: Teaching and Learning at IIE Rosebank College.

He says students should avoid catastrophising their situation and adopt a strategic mindset instead.

“Concentrate on maximising your performance in the subjects where you feel confident. Allocate sufficient study time to reinforce your understanding and excel in those areas. Simultaneously, create a targeted plan for the subjects you’re concerned about. Identify weak points, seek additional help, and accept that a rewrite might be necessary,” he says.

There is still sufficient time to seek additional help for specific subjects. This could include finding a tutor or study group.

“Don’t hesitate to seek assistance. Consider roping in a tutor who specialises in the subject you find difficult. Alternatively, form a study group with classmates or request a classmate who is strong in your subject of concern to tutor you. Remember, while they are helping you, they will also be reaping the benefits of revising,” he says.

There is still time to develop new study habits at this stage of the game, however one study method that reaps outsized rewards is the Method of Loci. Using this method is easy and useful when trying to retain as much information as possible while improving your recall odds in the exam room.

The Method of Loci is a memory technique that helps you remember information by linking it to familiar locations or objects. Here’s how it works:

• Choose a familiar route or place: Imagine a place you know well, like your home or school. Visualise the rooms, furniture and landmarks.
• Associate information with locations: Suppose you need to remember a list of items (e.g. planets in our solar system). Associate each item with a specific location within your chosen place. Example: Imagine Mercury as a small globe on your doorstep, Venus as a mirror in the hallway, Earth as the kitchen table, and so on.
• Create mental images: Form vivid mental images of each association. Picture the objects in their designated spots.
• Retrieve information: When recalling the items in the exam room, mentally walk through your familiar environment. Visit each location and retrieve the associated information.

“If it becomes evident that you may not clear the hurdle on certain subjects, acceptance and resilience will stand you in good stead at this stage. Of course, it is important that you continue to try your best. However, investing too much emotional energy in the potential disappointment down the line will affect your overall performance, not only your performance in your weak areas,” says Moropane.

It is therefore essential to remember that you can rewrite the subject/s next year, and have enough time to improve your performance substantially.

“While giving your best, mentally prepare for the possibility of a rewrite. Accept that it’s okay if things don’t go perfectly to plan. Stay resilient and focused on improvement. Shift your attention to performing as well as possible in your strong subjects, and don’t dwell on the ones you suspect may not go well.”

It is also important to keep perspective and remember that even if things don’t go as originally planned, there are always different options and alternative pathways on the road to success.

“The Matric final exams are an important milestone in your educational journey, but they are not the final word on your potential or prospects. The roads to success are many and varied, and a temporary roadblock or diversion should be seen as only temporary, and an opportunity to regroup, reflect, and re-strategise,” says Moropane.