Exam Stress

 What is Exam Stress ?

 Have exams coming up? Sometimes the pressure you feel can help keep you focused, other times it can cause stress. Check out these tips to help you cope with stress during exam time.

"Remember passing an exam is only part of the story. There’s always a second chance or another way to reach your goals"

What does exam stress look like?

1. Some signs of stress include:
2. Feeling confused
3. Losing touch with friends
4. Feeling moody and low
5. Having trouble making decisions
6. Feeling overwhelmed
7. Lack of motivation to do anything
8. Trouble sleeping or getting out of bed
9. Tense muscles or headaches
10. Having an upset stomach or feeling sick
11. Fidgeting, nail biting, teeth grinding

Why do people experience exam stress?

1. Worry they might fail
2. Don't feel prepared
3. Want to do really well
4. Don’t have much time to study
5. Need to get a certain result
6. Don’t think they will do well
7. Find it hard to understand what they’re studying
8. Feel pressure from family to get good marks
9. Feel they need to compete with others
10. Have other things happening in their life

Getting ready to study

• It’s never too late to set up good study habits. Here are some helpful ideas:
• Find a quiet place to study without distractions.
• Set-up your study space. Make sure it’s not too cluttered and has everything you might need.
• Find out as much as you can about the exam so you can prepare.
• Ask your teacher if you’re unsure of what will be tested.
• Learn to make ‘mind maps’ and use them to collect ideas and thoughts, use bright colours to help remember important links.
• Make a plan of what you want to work on in each study session. Break it down into small tasks and work on one task at a time.
• Take regular short breaks – use this time to have a drink, get something to eat or play with a pet.
• Ask for help - If you’re having trouble with something you’re studying ask a teacher, friend, sibling or parent to help.

Tips to help while studying

Try these tips and tricks:

• Stick to a routine by eating and sleeping at around the same time each day
• Get a good night’s sleep. This gives your brain time to recharge and remember what you’ve learnt.
• Give yourself mini rewards once you achieve your study goals – watch a TV show or go for a run
• Keep focused on your study – don’t let other stuff like friendship worries distract you.
• Avoid junk food - it will bring a sudden burst of energy and then fall away quickly leaving you feeling worn-out.
• Eat a well-balanced diet - lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, cereals, grains, nuts and protein are all good for the brain and energy levels.
• Allow yourself time to rest – try out some relaxation activities like deep breathing, meditation or listening to music.
• Cut back on energy drinks they can increase nerves. Drink lots of water instead!

10 quick ways to help eliminate exam stress 

1. Watch a film, a TV show or listen to a podcast or comedian that makes you laugh.
2. Drink some herbal tea or a hot chocolate. It’s a well known fact that hot drinks are known to soothe the soul (avoid too much caffeine though!).
3. A shower or a bath can help to relieve stress.
4. Cook or bake something. Just the thought of having something delicious to eat can bring you joy. As a bonus side note, try and cook something healthy too. You can’t feed your mind well, if you don’t feed your body well.
5. Get some sleep. The virtues of a good night’s sleep during exam season should not be underestimated.
6. Keep things in perspective. Yes, exams are important. But you are so much more than your exam results.
7. Avoid other stressed people. You know the ones I mean. The ones with cue cards outside of the exam hall, frantically trying to remember key dates and equations. They will do nothing for your stress levels.
8. Avoid the exam "post-mortem”. You don’t need to know how other people fared in the exam. You’ve done your best, you can’t go back and change your answers so the second you step out of the exam hall, focus on your next exam.
9. Be flexible. While having a revision time table is one of the best tools in your arsenal for exam success, don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t stick to it. If you accidentally oversleep, don’t write the day off.
10. Write down everything you feel like you need to do and try and tick one thing off. Just the act of feeling like you are in control of your revision can help.