Tarana Pithawala, clinical counselor and director of Sinara Education, feels that the students who haven’t finished their portion might be tense, but proper planning can bail them out. “Now is the time for revision. Students should avoid taking up any new topic as that will only add to their tension.”

Though this crucial period demands frequent trips to coaching classes, burning the midnight oil and solving question papers, taking some time off from studies will help them in dealing with the pre-exam jitters. “Take occasional breaks and engage yourself in recreational activity for at least one hour daily. Playing football or cricket in the evening is not a bad idea,” Pithawala says.

This piece of advice is applicable to girls as well. Bina Gole, principal of Swami Vivekananda Junior College, suggests, “They can go for evening walks and can even workout in a gym.”

For those wanting to relax, meditation is the best option. Commerce student Suhasini Iyer, who used to be very anxious earlier, has adopted this as a stress-buster. She says, “I meditate after I wake up and before I go to bed.”

Students caught in packed study routine often neglect their meals or don’t stick to healthy food. Nupur Krishnan, director of Biologics Nutrition Clinic, Kandivali, says, “Students should avoid fatty food like cheese, burgers as well as carbohydrate rich-food like rice and potatoes. Instead, they should consume a lot of fiber-rich food like fruits. Keep the stomach half filled at night and munch biscuits instead of fried snacks.” Drinking a lot of lemon juice and butter milk instead of water is another healthy way.