How to deal with exam stress?
We have all been there before, it's a universally relatable feeling among us, college students who are aware how much exams can influence our life. Nevertheless, it may evoke a natural bodily reaction towards tense and pressuring situations, which is known as stress. Stress is the body’s natural reaction to pressure, however sometimes it can be overwhelming. In this article we will go over some ways to deal with exam stress.
Firstly, it's important to know how exam stress can show up in your life, it can show up in many ways:
Feeling irritable
Feeling waves of anxiety and sadness
Finding it hard to sleep
Worry about the future
Losing interest in hobbies, etc.
Finding it hard to concentrate
Exam pressure can be good to a certain extent. It motivates you to work harder, however too much of this is an unhealthy relationship with work and can take a toll on one's mental health. There are many ways to deal with exam stress:
Ask your teachers for extra help with any tricky subjects.
Doing this will help your confidence in the subject, boosting your... overall mood for the exam and helping ease some of the stress.
Check in with your friends
Most likely they will also be feeling some sort of stress leading up to the exam and talking things through with your friends will reassure you that you are not alone.
Get organised the night before the exam
Taking the time to ensure you have everything prepped for the exam and have planned your route can help calm some of the night before nerves.
Avoid last minute revision
As eager as you will be to cram in those last few bits of information, you might be doing more harm than good. Studies show that last minute revision has a negative effect on learning so instead take the time to unwind before the exam
Avoid comparing answers.
After the exam, we all have the urge to check our answers between friends and make sure you put the right thing. What's done is done and worrying over answers won't change anything.
After your exams make sure to reward yourself for your efforts, go out with friends and family or have a solo movie night. And don't forget that it's common to feel stressed when it comes to exams.