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Exam stress: from a third person perspective

Karley Myall 488 Views

Revising for an exam or having deadlines near the end of the year is normally a lot to deal with. It’s coming to that time of year where we’re all freaking out because exam deadlines are creeping up and we just want to enjoy Christmas, and with all of that comes major stress and anxiety.

Exam stress is common and it’s something that we’ve all suffered with at least once in our lives. Having the constant fear of failure and the anxiety of going into a huge hall with lots of people can be extremely off-putting.

Photo by Fischer Twins on Unsplash

Quite often, it does not help when discussing what your friends have revised, because that could set you into a panic about the fact you did not revise that certain topic. That’ll stress you out before you even go into the exam room. Don’t ask questions after the exams because there’s no doubt someone would have answered different to you, we all have different opinions.

Counsellor Becky Stone suggests to: ”find your own learning style, coloured sticky notes, spider charts, highlighters and friends to study with.”

”Stay away from social media and TV, it is the biggest distraction. Be sure to reward yourself afterwards, perhaps a meal out with friends, a film or a new outfit. Stay away from energy drinks, they will give you a crash which will result in you feeling extremely tired when revising.”

Anxiety is something that causes a lot of stress on individuals, but when you have exams and coursework to do, this feeling can heighten and your stress levels will go through the roof. The most important aspect is to reach out to the people that are there to help you, even if you feel like you’re making mistakes, they will understand and will be able to help guide you in the right direction.

Many people find hope in different tips that they’ve learned to take on board themselves throughout their lives, to help them with the struggles of facing exams. Here are a few that have been gathered from Facebook groups:

JayJay posted on ‘Dover for Disgruntled Dovorians’: ”Revise in 30 minute slots, take regular breaks, know your subject, be ready and on the day have a good breakfast. Studies show porridge with blueberries and bananas can help with memory. On the day of the exam, breathe properly. Silly I know but breathe in for the count of 4 and out for the count of 5. Finally believe in yourself with ”I’ve got this.”

Kimberly Mulachy posted on ‘Hawkinge Residents Group’: ”For all my exams, particularly at school, I did 30 minutes revision, 5 minute break alternating that pattern for no more than a few hours. Make sure you are strict on getting back to it though! Get outside in your breaks for some fresh air! Most importantly believe that you can do it, because you definitely can!”

Sam Murdoch, Alyce Cronk and Charlotte Howard also shared their thoughts: