It is normal to be worried under stressful situations. Emotions are part of our lives. They will be with us for the rest of our days. It is true that sometimes they make us feel bad. However, students must try to overcome them in order to achieve their goals, such as a final exam. This intense and persistent fear that students experience when they anticipate evaluation scenarios within the educational environment is often recurrent. This academic evaluation can refer to written exams, oral exams, papers or reports, answering questions in chemistry class, but is further deepened if it is a major final exam. The NCEA chemistry level 2 exam is one such big test.
Students need to lose their fear of the NCEA chemistry level 2 exam. This is essential in order to begin their study. Although it is true that subjects such as the properties of organic compounds; bonding, structure, properties and energy changes; the understanding of oxidation-reduction or the comprehension of chemical reactivity, could be challenging topics. Students may feel overwhelmed. Especially when they discover that these topics involve solving exercises, making graphics and the study of a large amount of theoretical information. Moreover, all of these skills must be combined. However, the more students learn about these chemical topics, the easier it will be for them to assimilate all the extensive information
Students with anxiety experience different emotional, physiological and psychological symptoms. They may feel emotions such as fear, tension, insecurity, restlessness and panic. Also they may experience physical symptoms such as tachycardia, palpitations, dizziness, headache, muscle tension, sweating, breathing problems, digestive problems, etc. On a mental level they may experience trouble focusing and thinking, confusion, anxiety, difficulty managing worries, negative thoughts related to underperformance, failure to fulfill their expectations or the expectations of their peers. Students fear the negative consequences of possible underperformance. They feel fear of not being competent or fear of being less than the others, etc. Also, all these thoughts and feelings make it difficult to focus on the task.
But as mentioned, if you haven't prepared for your NCEA chemistry level 2 exam, it is common to feel fear. On the contrary, if you have studied throughout the year to succeed in your exam you should understand that the anxiety that arises in you may be excessive and irrational.
Rationality over emotions
So, if you have paid attention in your chemistry lessons, if you have studied throughout the year to succeed in the NCEA chemistry level 2 exam and if you have met all of your annual goals, you should be calm. It all depends on the study plan you have designed. A good study plan involves the review of all the available texts. While it is true that the NCEA chemistry level 2 exam will contain questions that integrate both arithmetic problems and written arguments. Nothing can beat a good study plan and the proper strategy.
Let's lose the fear. Here's a good way to achieve this: take your time to understand as much as you can about the chemistry content of the exam. Once you feel you have mastered the material, go to the past papers from previous years and review the types of questions that were included. When you do the analysis of the past paper questions you will be able to figure out what kind of answer you should give. That is why no chemistry topic will be too difficult, if you have a good study plan.
Demystifying the complexities of an exam is the first step towards losing your fear. Level 2 students already have some experience. They have passed the Level 1 exam and they already know the general structure of the test. The more you know about what you are going to face, the more calm you will be. Find within yourself your own motivation. You have the tools to overcome your fears, so keep in mind that you can pass your exam with confidence. If you are able to explain the shape or the bond angle of a molecule in terms of the repulsion of the correct number of electron clouds, you will have a part of the NCEA chemistry level 2 exam solved. In order for students to successfully complete all parts of the exam they must know how to relate the electrical negativities of different atoms, polar bonds, and the general polarity of molecules. The exam questions will require students to be able to draw, perform numerical operations, and be able to justify all answers they choose.
Sometimes focusing the study on a choice of topics might have some efficiency. For example, focusing on the topics that the teacher has emphasized in chemistry lessons could be a good strategy to get the knowledge that allows you to get a good evaluation. Let's take a look at an example of one of the past paper questions. It is very important the analysis of this question because thanks to this review students can better focus their study and better dose the information it contains.
Students will be asked to draw the Lewis structure (electron dot diagram) for each of the following molecules. These are the molecules: PCl3 CO2 H2S. Then, they will have to draw a picture of each of their Lewis structures on a graph. This type of question is constantly repeated in the exam. The following question will be related to the previous one, but it will have some important differences. Students should not believe that the contents of the NCEA chemistry level exam are too extensive. That idea will only help to discourage study and make it more tedious. There is always a method to approach any subject, no matter how difficult it may seem
In studying (as in sports), consistency and perseverance are important. You need to study hard every lesson, and you need to study every day. Daily study does not remove the need for a final sprint. The competition is with ourselves. Procrastinating is a bad habit. Like any bad habit, it is very difficult to avoid. Laziness is very common in students. Students must fight their flaws. Overcoming laziness and procrastination is the first step to success. Although this doesn't mean that we don't have a space for leisure. If you have already fulfilled your daily study, you can give yourself a time to have fun and do the things you enjoy.
Studying by heart versus comprehension
Studying everything by heart is detrimental. Studying by heart is not a good study method. Perhaps by memorizing students may be able to retain the information needed to take an exam, but are they really learning. Learning is about acquiring knowledge in a meaningful way. Real learning has an impact on our lives. Meaningful learning changes many aspects of our lives. The more knowledge students learn through this method, the more the learning has implications in their lives. In order to study chemistry, students must understand that this science is everywhere in nature. If students come to understand that this is actually life itself, they are able to achieve a more meaningful learning experience.
Chemistry is found in everything around us. Every day we are in contact with a great diversity of substances and products. For instance, in our personal hygiene routine we use shampoo, soap, cream, toothpaste, etc. This concept allows students to lose their fear of the study of this science. Making the topics related to chemistry more familiar allows students to face their study for the NCEA chemistry level 2 exam with more confidence. Remember that learning about chemistry can be very practical. You can also take a look at past papers and train practically for the exam.
In the biosphere there are three well differentiated areas that are perfectly interrelated in a perfect (and sometimes delicate) balance: earth, water and air. In each of these environments exist specific chemical processes. Organic chemistry is the study of molecules that contain carbon. And the importance of carbon is huge. When carbon combines with other atoms such as hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, it is the structural basis of all organic molecules
In other words, every living organism on the face of the Earth is made of carbon. Chemistry is life itself. If students understand this knowledge as the study of their own existence, they will be able to achieve better learning.
Get rid of your fears and be confident in your knowledge.
As mentioned earlier, overcoming fears is essential when facing the NCEA chemistry level 2 exam. Usually, when we face a big academic challenge, we realize that maybe it wasn't as complicated as we thought it was. The best part of life is on the other side of our fears. That is why we should never stop facing them. Throughout your journey, you will be faced with a lot of academic challenges. Overcoming their fears is the first way to achieve a good result.
Every chemistry lesson the student attends should include this important concept. Every chemistry lesson should generate enthusiasm in the student. Information is power. The more information students acquire about the exam, the better they will perform. Aside from all the chemistry subject matter that the student must learn, it is recommended that the student also learn about the exam itself. Students should know how many parts the exam is divided into, the time they have to take it, the type of questions that will be asked, the type of answers that must be given and the amount of credits they can get if they pass all their partial and final goals.
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