Many learners have started with a new exam series while a number of Grade 12 pupils have kicked off their prelim exams. This could be a very stressful period for many.
Why do we stress?
For every learner, an exam may feel like a dark, unknown monster. This is because most of the time you are unsure about how the paper is going to be and whether your preparation is enough. You start feeling stressed, and your brain interprets your exam stress as a sign that you have to be protected from a threat. Your body then prepares itself to react to this threat by fighting, running, or hiding. This is useful for certain situations, like when you are chased by a lion. But when your body feels that it must protect itself for too long, it can become overwhelmed by the need to protect itself. Your body’s reactions to stress can negatively affect your health, concentration, and mental and emotional health.
5 Tips for dealing with stress
1. Follow a healthy lifestyle. This includes healthy eating habits, enough sleep and enough exercise. When you live a healthy life and take care of your body, your body is able to fight the influence of stress.
2. Talk to your friends or family. Sometimes we need a supportive person who can help us get the right perspective. Make sure you have people to talk to when you feel overwhelmed by your work.
3. Challenge your anxious thoughts. When you notice that you have an anxious thought, look for ways to challenge them. For example, ask yourself, “What is the best thing that can happen?”, “What advice would I give someone else?”, “Is this thought helpful?”
4. Use relaxation/grounding exercises. Relaxation or grounding exercises can help you calm your nerves when you feel overwhelmed. Progressive muscle relaxation or the 5-4-3-2-1 technique are good examples. Search the internet for more exercises you can use!
5. Manage your time. Making sure that you have enough time to study can help you feel more prepared for the exams. Make use of timetables and daily schedules to schedule your time and make sure you have enough time to relax.
Time Management
Time management is an important part of exam preparation. Managing your time effectively will help make sure that you have enough time to study for all your subjects ahead of time. Time management can also combat exam stress and help you feel more motivated.
Time management tips
1. Make use of calendars and daily schedules. Scheduling your daily and monthly tasks can help you prioritise and plan your work and use the time you have available more effectively. When you are studying, make use of a daily schedule to plan all the content you have to study for the day. There are also useful Apps that can you can use to help you schedule your time.
2. Make a to-do list for every subject. Making a to-do list is an effective way to manage your time as well as make sure you cover all the content of your subjects. Ticking off tasks when you have finished them can also provide a sense of achievement and increase your motivation.
3. Use the A-B-C method. This method can help you prioritise your work more efficiently. List all your tasks and assign each of them either an A, B or C. A is assigned to tasks that have to be completed today, B to tasks that would be nice to finish today, and C to tasks that can be finished the next day.
4. Schedule frequent breaks. When planning your study schedule, make sure that you schedule enough time to relax. Your brain requires enough time to shut down and relax, especially when you are stressed.
5. Set goals. You will feel more motivated when you set goals for your exam period. Set goals for when you want to finish studying for certain subjects, or when you want to start revision. Set goals for your daily studying to make sure you cover the content that you planned for the day.
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It is difficult being a student and a parent at the same time, I’m currently doing my final year of university and have a month old baby, it is difficult for me to leave my baby behind and go on to complete my studies, that contributes to postpartum anxiety and academic stress. I sometimes can’t focus on my studies simply because I miss my baby.
Thank you for sharing your tips for dealing with exam stress. I found them very helpful. I especially like the tip about managing your time. This is something that I need to work on in my own life. Thanks again!