Tests that are conducted in the afternoons

Test – the word itself sends chills down the spine of many a student, taking away their appetite and

sleep. There’s a scramble to learn as much as possible in the shortest possible time. There’s no time to

take a bite or get a wink of sleep. But that’s not good practice. Students need to eat healthy before a

test.

Typically, before taking tests conducted in the morning, students should consume protein-rich foods

such as eggs, nuts, yogurt and cottage cheese for breakfast. Food such as spicy or fried food should be

avoided as these tend to make the stomach heavy and could cause some discomfort. Students in the

senior secondary classes could take a cup of coffee as it perks up the mind and helps keep sleep away.

Of course, this depends on parental permission.

Tests that are conducted in the afternoons or evenings are more difficult to take. This is because the

body generally seeks some rest in the afternoon. Therefore, it is important that before taking tests held

in the afternoon or evenings, students should eat a balanced meal, including protein and fruits, such as

bananas, apples, oranges. You could also keep healthy snacks like protein bars with you to nibble on

between exams. Spicy dishes, yogurt (especially the sour ones), rice, pizzas and burgers should be

avoided since these create heaviness in the stomach and adversely affect the students’ attention span,

alertness, and consequently performance levels.

Before and during the exam, drink enough water to keep hydrated, as dehydration may cause you to

lose focus or feel sick during the test.

Finally, you may want to consider having a cup of yoghurt or fruit, both of which contain serotonin, on

the night before the test. Serotonin relaxes the mind and can help you fall asleep.

How to balance academics and other activities?

Balancing academics with other daily activities is no mean task – both for the students and for the

parents. Typically, every student would have a special liking for some other activity/activities besides

studies. These could be rewarding activities such as fine arts, sports, adventure, reading sites or traveling, among others; or wasteful activities such as excessive

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watching of movies, chatting and daydreaming. While the latter needs to be curtailed, the former

should be nurtured in healthy combination with education.

Let us take the example of a student who is a tennis player. In this case, the student along with the

parents should gauge his or her fundamental strengths in the sport and evaluate the time that should

ideally be set aside for it. Suppose the student wishes to pursue the sport only for maintaining good

health and social acceptance, there is no need to spend too much time or money on the sport. However,

if the student genuinely possesses the potential to grow into a tennis player, then more time and money

could be allocated for pursuing the sport.

This course of action can be followed in the case of all rewarding activities.

However, wasteful activities too, form part of the student’s life. Most such activities are aimed at

relaxing or gaining social acceptance. Sure, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Therefore,

relaxation is necessary for the body to regain its bearings. However, it should be within limits. For an

ideal student, there should be no need for anyone to remind him or her of the need to get back to work

(study, in this case).

Eating, socializing, pursuing religious beliefs, traveling and attending to the needs of the elderly and sick

in the family or even outside are all part of a typical student’s usual life. The trick is to pursue all these,

but yet remain focused on studies in order to enjoy a bright future.