There is a lot of pressure on students to succeed in exams and sometimes this can begin to feel a little overwhelming.
For some students exam times are a real nightmare as they are under tremendous pressure. Unfortunately we don't have a magic wand that can make exams go away but we do have some tips that will help you stay well, focused and prepared for your exams. Every student has to realize that exam is part and parcel of the system under which his / her performance is evaluated.
What's the difference between feeling under pressure and feeling stressed?
You can begin to experience stress when you feel really under pressure mentally or emotionally. It's natural to feel under pressure during exam season and if you can learn to manage it you will keep the stress away. Some of you may thrive under pressure, it can motivate you and help you to perform at your best. For others, they may feel the total opposite and struggle with pressure, feeling as though they are unable to manage. Pressure becomes stress when you feel as though you are no longer able to cope day to day.
Changing the way you think changes the chemicals in your body
When you feel under pressure your body releases hormones which induces a stress response. Adrenaline pumps around your body to prepare you for the task ahead. Whether this is running away from something, walking into an exam hall, playing a cricket match etc. Your body does this to help you cope with the pressure or "threat". As soon as you have dealt with this your body naturally re-balances and you feel calm again. Once in a while this kind of hormonal reaction is ok, but if you are constantly firing off this stress response over a long period of time your body will become flooded with these hormones which will lead to feeling and being stressed.
By changing your perceptions about an exam or your abilities to perform in an exam you will be able to manage your body's natural response to the things it perceives as a threat.
Manage your pressure or stress triggers
By understanding what triggers you to feel stressed you can begin to identify unconscious perceptions that you hold and identify some super coping strategies to help you deal with these safely and quickly. By taking control you will feel empowered to manage the situation and this will improve your well-being and resilience.
- Note down the last time you felt really under pressure or overwhelmed
- Note down what you were doing and where you were
- Note down whether you were with someone
- Note down how you felt emotionally at that time
- Note down how you felt physically i.e heart started to race, tummy felt
- What happened next i.e. what was the result, what did you do and how did you feel for the rest of the day
- What made you feel better.
How to spot if you're stressed
You could be showing signs of stress if you're: funny
- Feeling more tired than usual
- Struggle to focus and feeling overwhelmed
- Feeling anxious and feeling as though your self-esteem is crumbling
- Feel teary and more emotional than usual
- Struggling to sleep or stay asleep throughout the night
- Waking up from sleep and feeling exhausted
- Suffering from regular stomach upsets
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling run down
- Begun to experience panic attacks
Experiencing one or more of these things doesn't necessarily mean you're "stressed"; we all have very different levels of tolerance to exam situations. Have a think about how your body and mind feels day to day and if you start to notice that you are developing these kinds of signs here are some positive actions you can take to keep yourself well.
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