Students preparing for exams often struggle with the coursework and it’s preparation. The pressure may end in feelings of anxiety or nervousness, and this exam stress can interfere with the individual’s lifestyle . While a particular amount of stress could also be beneficial, an excessive amount of exam stress can cause individuals to perform poorly on tests that carry a lot of value for them.
Covid’s impact has also been profound in education, pushing the shift towards online learning. Maintaining continuity amid Covid-19 has been a challenge to educational institutions and therefore the student community.
Common contributing factors to Exam Stress-
External Pressure
Many students feel pressured due to the expectations of parents or teachers. Keeping high expectations and pressuring children during exams can cause exam stress in them. The students should instead focus on doing their best work and not think of letting anyone down with their performance. This pressure to try to do well can heighten exam stress drastically.
Internal Pressure
The student might internalize the pressure onto himself. If the student wants to be the absolute best, poor performance on a test could also be a cause of distress. If the student spends an excessive amount of time brooding about how difficult the exam is and worrying about the result of the test, this approach will increase exam stress.
Lack of Preparation
Rushed, last-minute studying will increase anxiety. Students who also don't sleep properly before an exam can also experience higher stress levels. If you're stressing about not feeling prepared for the exam, it's always a good idea to gauge where you're in your preparation. After which, you can always seek the assistance of a teacher, check in for a prep course, take more practice tests, or find a study partner.
Self-doubt
Even after the student has done ample amounts of preparation, having self-doubt will always make them feel as if they’ve not done enough. More than anything, it’s about the mindset and having faith in your own abilities and skill level. Having confidence in yourself will result in reduction of the exam stress an individual might face.
Ways to combat Exam stress-
Exercise
Along with keeping you healthy, exercise is an excellent way to boost your mood and may help to make you more productive while revising. Exercise and yoga stimulate your brain to release endorphins, hormones that help relieve stress and produce a sense of well-being. Regular exercise is extremely essential for a healthy body and mind. It also helps reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and lets us sleep well.
Understand That Anxiety Is Natural
It is essential to know that it's completely natural to feel stressed and anxious during unfavourable times. One should never look down upon oneself for feeling low. Feeling stressed is our body’s natural reaction for survival in unfavourable conditions.
Don’t compare your progress with others
While it's helpful to debate topics with fellow students and sometimes to revise together, try to not compare other peoples’ revision to your own. The reality is that you’re doing just fine, and taking note of other people’s mention of what they’ve learnt will only stress you out and might give you a feeling that you aren’t progressing as well as them. Plus, if they're stressed, this will be projected onto you. In a situation like this, other people’s stress isn't what you would like to take on yourself .
Establish a daily routine
It helps to write down important tasks for the day. Always plan the day and go about your studying on this basis. Study systematically by making notes and revising them multiple times.
Cut your screen time
One of the many and most vital aspects of this pandemic has been our screens. Most people spend as much as 1/2 of their day before television screens or mobile devices and laptops, which is harmful to the eyes and reduces focus and concentration. Thus, limiting screen time will keep you far away from distractions and provides you a lot more focus to engage in your studies. A peaceful mind improves the power to focus on the tasks at hand. Although meditation is often boring for beginners, it surely helps increase concentration and stay optimistic amid these unprecedented times. A quick meditation session in a peaceful environment will assist you to stay focused throughout the day.
Set realistic goals
“One step at a time” is the goal here. Don’t set unrealistically huge goals for yourself. Always Be realistic and practical both in your ability and approach. While studying, start with something simple and slowly build your way towards tougher chapters. Keep rewarding yourself whenever you achieve your daily tasks. If you want, you can set more than one goal for yourself to achieve during a day as long as it’s a reasonable and achievable goal.
Speak to someone
If the strain gets to an extent where it's overwhelming and affects your day-to-day life, you can always speak to someone about it. Your university or school should have a provision of a school counselor. Someone you can speak to people about your concerns and is able to offer more advice on ways to manage it. If that looks like too big a step, open up to a loved one about the pressure you are feeling. You’ll be amazed to find out that you aren’t alone in feeling like this.
If you still feel that you need to confide in someone, the team here at PsyKessa is trained to handle concerns ranging from Exam stress to anxiety to confusion regarding career choices. Feel free to reach out to us at hello@psykessa.com or +91-7411328881.
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