Exam Stress Management

EXAM STRESS MANAGEMENT

Exam stress got you in a loop. We got you covered

WHAT IS EXAM STRESS?

Exam stress can be defined as a type of heightened anxiety affecting a student before, during and after an exam.

It is a common issue dealt with by students throughout their academic life. Stress is a normal human feeling that is part of life and can often serve as a good form of adrenaline. Stress is your mind or body's natural response to what it views as a threat. When threatened, your body triggers several physical, emotional and mental reactions.

EXAM STRESS CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO CATEGORIES:

Anticipatory Stress experienced while studying and thinking about the ifs and whys

Situational Stress experienced during the examination itself, can cause loss in concentration, physical distress and emotional upset.

These outcomes could affect performance excellence. Examination stress is more common than most students realize, and the symptoms are generally the same for almost all students who experience it.

WHY YOU EXPERIENCE EXAM STRESS

• You are worried about how well you will do in the exam
• You find it hard to understand what you are studying
• You feel unprepared or have not had time to study
• You need to learn and recall a large amount of information for an exam
• Exams always have an element of uncertainty about them
• You need an exam result to enter another course or career path
• You feel pressure from your family to succeed
• You are experiencing stress in another part of your life.

MANAGING EXAM STRESS

• Take a relaxing bath. A shower or a bath can help to relieve stress.
• Avoid unnatural energy boosters. Artificial stimulants like caffeine pills or prescription meds may help you stay awake for that all-night study session but putting off your body need to sleep will ultimately result in an energy crash, resulting again in a greater susceptibility to stress.
• Success visualisation. Exam Day itself, be fresh and alert, think of past successes and put things into their right perspective with success visualization.
• Get emotional support. Emotional support is very important in elevating stress. A chat with a friend to vent your frustration, speaking to family members or getting that support from your campus wellness centre. Furthermore, benefits of emotional support tend to include a better sense of confidence and autonomy.
• Breathe. When you feel stressed, deep-breathing exercises can help melt away the tension.
• Believe in yourself. When being constantly faced with new challenges, we often forget to look back at how far we have come and how much we have already achieved. Given that you have prepared well, there should be no reason for you to worry
• Get enough sleep. The more our internal clock is aligned with the clock of the sun, the better it is and your brain would have had an opportunity to absorb the information you were feeding it while studying.

Always remember, the battle becomes harder when you are closer to your goals. Keep your eye on the prize. In the words of Audrey Hepburn Nothing is impossible. The word itself says Im Possible.