Expert: Dan - 4/8/2009

Question
hey well i am 14 years old and i have recently been promoted to 10th grade. my performance in 9th garde had been really quit good i mean i scored bout 93 percent but this is the big year for me as i would be giving my 10 boards which will decide my future subject. i really want to take up science non medical but for that i must score above 95% in the boards. i really an nervous as you see i always manage to lose marks only because of my silly mistakes and it makes me feel so bad when after giving the exam i realize that i lost 2 marks just cost i copied the question wrong or some sign mistake or some slight miscalculation and it makes me feel so bad that i lost marks which i could have easily scored. it also brings down my total percentage . it happens in every paper i never lose marks for not knowing an answer but just for silly mistakes! i am worried that i might do the same mistakes in the boards. it a very important exam and my parents and teachers have really high expectations from and also there is a tough competition were even 0.1percent can reduce your rank. i may really nervous cause this is my 1st boards and my classmates are quit smart too. too much pressure. i am going for 3 tutions per day and i am so exhausted. also there is so much homework everyday. and its only been 3 weeks of school !!! and what is worse my summer well go away just attaining tutions. what must i do i am so nervous and worried. my whole life depends on this exam. everyone says its real easy to score but that doesn't help!!
oh please tell me what i must do!! what if i can't live up to my parents expectation. i cant even imagine that!!!!

please help!!

rai   (sorry if its too long!!)

Answer
Hey

Well, first off you gotta chill out.  Haha, seriously, it seems stupid, but it actually really helps.  I'm a musician and actor and I always perform so much better if I keep my nerves under control.  You gotta sit down and plan out exactly what you're gonna study and when.  When you have a full proof plan in your mind, you feel a lot more at ease with yourself and you study better.

About the mistakes- don't worry.  Just be extra careful when you're making calculations and double check, but don't worry so much.  Do you think Harvard and Oxford are filled with students who do really crap on exams but don't make any little mistakes?  The world doesn't care about those- that's why they have editors, and if you're really as smart as you say you are then you're set.  So don't worry so much.  Just be careful and double check everything.

Forget about your parents for a second.  This is for you.  If you make your parents proud, that's an added bonus, but don't let them direct you in what to do.  Once you stop worrying as much about them, you'll feel better and probably do better.

Write back in if there's anything I missed.

Regards,
Dan