Since exams can have a life-changing impact on their future, students fear failing their papers, not meeting their families’ expectations, and having their ambitions crushed when they are unable to enter good universities in pursuit of their dream career.
Examples of exam stress
Exam stress can stem from a single or combination of features and manifest itself in a variety of ways, from mild to intense. The following are some examples:
• Mood swings.
• Lack of motivation.
• Trouble in decision making.
• Trouble in interacting with friends and family.
• Falling ill.
• Tense muscles and onset of headaches.
Causes of exam stress
• Worries of failure.
• Worries about not obtaining grades that meet their families’ expectations.
• Peer and family pressure.
• Poor studying techniques.
• Poor time management.
Coping methods
Stress can be good as it raises alertness and improves productivity. However, stress is bad when in excess as it can lead to fatigue and burnout, thus reducing productivity.
Students must have their own coping strategies to reduce the effect of stress so that it does not negatively affect their everyday life.
However, they might not know whether their methods are effective or not.
Recognising what is effective and ineffective can help preserve energy for more important tasks.
Ineffective strategies
1. Believing that studying for longer periods of time allows one to gain more knowledge and understand the subject better. At its root, it is a way to reduce the worry of not studying enough.
However, it is generally not effective as you will feel bored and suffer mental fatigue, leading to less information being stored or retained.
2. Consuming snacks and energy drinks or coffee to study for longer periods of time.
The intake of energy drinks and coffee results in the higher energy levels required to study, but the downside is the sugar crash that inevitably comes to compensate for the excess “high”.
What would happen if you crashed while sitting for your exams?
3. Procrastination may be another way to reduce pressure and stress but if you want to obtain good grades, you must put in the effort to study.
Effective strategies
It is important to note that different students have different ways of learning.
Here are some suggestions to effectively manage exam stress and revise for the upcoming exams.
1. It is wise to make a plan and set realistic checkpoints so you can experience a sense of accomplishment upon achieving it, which in turn will help reduce mental fatigue.
2. Take regular breaks with exercise or activities to shift your focus from worry and fear, to learning effectively while studying.
3. Before the exam day, ensure you understand the subject well so that under examination conditions with the pressure of time and people around you, you will not be overstressed to the point that you cannot think straight when answering the questions.
For example, when professional athletes participate in a sport, the pressure spurs them to improve whereas rookies are more likely to be overwhelmed.
Discovering and understanding your strengths and weaknesses are the main challenges which all students face.
Achieving this means you are able to efficiently overcome the challenges life throws you by playing according to your strengths and weaknesses.
Consulting an educational psychologist can also provide deeper insight to ideas and strategies to help you get there.
This article is contributed by Edpsych™, Educational Psychology Division, International Psychology Centre®, Tel: +603 – 2727 7434,Website:http://www.
