– It almost comes as a bit of a shock. They have been used to partying, and now they suddenly have an exam, says Mari Riska. She and fellow student Mari Haga Lie sit and read in the canteen at Nord University in Steinkjer. It is Friday 19 May, and for many the last two days have been the start of a party-filled long weekend. For others, this weekend will be a kind of blue weekend, marking a rather abrupt transition from festivities to the seriousness of exams. Not least for the Russian, who has celebrated through May, but who is immediately faced with the first exam of his life. – They think I’m stressed. I think they probably know more about nerves than I do now, says Lie. But there is still no reason to panic, according to the students that news has spoken to at Nord University. – The exam is not as scary as it sounds. You just have to keep at it, and you’ll get past it, says Maria Aasbekken. The exam is not so bad – especially not when it is over, say Mari Haga Lie and Mari Riska. Photo: Hanne Bernhardsen Nordvåg / news And the students have good advice to give to those who are about to take their first exam: Don’t stress Although it is easy to let your nerves get the better of you, one of the most important pieces of advice that the students news has spoken to is, namely not to stress. – For me, things don’t work if I’m stressed, says Mari Haga Lie. It is therefore important to breathe with your stomach, and not least to get enough sleep. Reading nine times the night before the exam is in any case not smart, we are to believe the students. Create routines Then it is wiser to have good routines around exam reading. – Set up a time of day where you will sit and be focused. But also include breaks, so that you get out, says Martine Brovoll. It is not least important to have good meal breaks, so that you ensure that your energy level stays up throughout the day. It may also be a good idea to have specific places where you read, says Mari Haga Lie. – For me, it’s about getting to university. I can tell myself that I will work at home, but it won’t happen then, she laughs. Motivation It is obviously also a good idea to have something that motivates you to put in the effort needed. Because no, good exam results do not come by themselves. – If you want a good grade, you just have to take the time to read, says Elisabeth Moen. But then it can be good to have a goal to study towards, such as a specific university you want to enter. – Now we’ve had a period of a lot of fun, and then it’s worth it to put a little extra effort into the schoolwork, says Mari Riska. – You get the reward later by passing the exam, perhaps getting into the study program you want, and not least being able to take your summer holiday with a good feeling soon. Putting some time into schoolwork, after days and weeks of fun, will be a good investment, Mari Riska believes. Photo: Hanne Bernhardsen Nordvåg / news Be social Even if you have to spend some time studying for the exam, it’s important to make sure you don’t isolate yourself completely either. – Be social, take some breaks, be outside a bit, and enjoy yourself when you can, says Maria Aasbekken. For Mari Riska, it is important to be social while she is also reading. – Read and practice with someone you enjoy, so it won’t be as boring as if you were to do it alone. Have faith in yourself Even if you are entering something unknown with your first exam, it is important to have self-confidence, the students point out. – Try as best you can. Don’t think that you can’t do it, but rather think that you can do it! This is going well! Then it does! What can parents do? Author and psychologist Hedvig Montgomery emphasizes that there is no definitive way of coping with this, for many, difficult transition from Russian time to exam time. It will vary from person to person, but then it is all the more important that the young people get support at home. – The most important ingredient is understanding. If only to nod and show that you understand that the transition is abrupt, says Montgomery. Specifically, as a parent, you can remind them that this is really no different to taking a test – something they have done many times before, and perhaps guide them in what might be wise to do. – Some need to be pushed in the direction of the books, and some need to relax more – here you have to tune in to what your young person needs. Hedvig Montgomery is a renowned family psychologist. Photo: Roy Kenneth Sydnes Jacobsen Being responsive to young people’s needs is the most important thing, according to Montgomery. – But I also try to talk a little about what it is to take an exam, what it is to deliver, and what it requires. But I also try to say something about the fact that there will be new opportunities. Because not everything depends on this particular exam, emphasizes the psychologist. It is important for both the young people and the parents to understand. – Party and good exam results have never gone together. But it is not certain that you will get very much done if you get too angry or fussy, says Montgomery. – Unfortunately, some young people are going to have a blast this year too, like every other year. But then there will be a new opportunity to help them further. This is not the last opportunity they will get.
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Students give advice to this year’s Russian class, which will go from weeks of partying to their very first exam – news Trøndelag
