How do you get through exams or other demanding situations?

[soman]

I currently have exams, but I'm having trouble properly preparing myself due to a lack of motivation and the added stress of the situation. I can spend hours going through the material, but I can't concentrate very well so I progress extremely slowly. I just had my first exam today, and I'll be cutting it pretty close to pass the course, which just adds to my anxiety. I used to take 300mg sertraline and I think 50mg avanza, but the doses slowed down my thinking so I wasn't in a much better position academically. Does anyone else have this problem? If so, any tips on gaining motivation or reducing anxiety?

[Obayan]

I can tell you how I studied but I don't know if it'll help you.

1. Record the class with a recorder.
2. Hand write word for word everything on the recorder.
3. Type up everything I hand wrote.
4. Go thru the material as if I was the teacher and make up a list of questions I think might be on the test. Then try to answer them without looking.
5. Study the mock test.

It takes time, but I passed every class I took with 100%.

As for motivation, it gave me something to do other than sit and think about me.

[V]

I drink lots and lots and lots of coffe, dress comfortable and allow myself to watch my favorite tv-shows. I try to make a routine that way, hence when there is nothing on tv I try to study. I snack on stuff I normally would never eat. Food is one of my major issues, so I try to make food a non-issue when I have exams. I sleep in, make a proper breakfast and use the day, meaning I dont really see people at all, I just use the entire day/night for studying or trying to study. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea, then I get up and start writing stuff down, I dont try to force myself to go back to sleep to keep a "rhythm".

well.. thats what I do