If you are a student, exam stress is nothing new to you and its inevitable no matter how much you convince yourself and others around you that it does not bother. Home tutors who do one-on-one tutoring come across many students complaining about how stress affects their performance during exam adversely.
So, here are 8 tips to get rid of exam stress!
#1: GET RID OF FRUSTRATION
Many students become stressed about examinations because they get frustrated and annoyed while studying. Although it is normal for students to not enjoy studying, the process can be made much less painful by ensuring that the environment in which they study benefits them.
Many students may call themselves messy and be proud of their cluttered table but this may be more detrimental than they think. Having a cluttered workspace simply causes more distractions while studying and provides an ineffective environment for studying.
#2: PLENTY OF REST
Studying is definitely the most important step to do well for an exam but many students forget the second most important thing which is rest. No one will be able to do well for an assessment if they are studying continuously for 10 hours the previous day and even if they do, this will be very unhealthy for their mental state.
Source: recoveryways.com
Everyone’s efficiency starts decreasing exponentially after a while of studying and it is important to take small breaks to reduce stress. These breaks should not always be used on electronic devices as they sometimes result in students becoming more tired. Instead, using it for activities outside in the sun can be much more refreshing.
#3: STUDY SCHEDULE
Students should develop the habit of having a study schedule or simply having a plan of what to study on a particular day. Many students make studying much more daunting than it needs to be by studying directly from textbooks with thousands of pages.
Instead, students should plan which topics and which pages they have to study so that they know exactly how much they would have to study. This can help to make studying look more manageable even though they will study the same amount without a study schedule.
#4: REALISTIC GOALS
Many students set unreasonable goals from themselves which results in stress while studying, during examinations and even after receiving the result slip. Instead, students need to understand their own potential and set an achievable goal for themselves. This can help to motivate them and will help them feel rewarded when actually achieving the score.
#5: MENTAL HEALTH
Some emotional problems can be very difficult to solve without external help. Thus, students should learn to share their stress and pain to their parents, teachers, friends or anyone that they trust. Opening up to others can help to alleviate any stress that students may be facing.
Source: toledolibrary.org
Similarly, group study sessions can help in a similar way. Students can clear their doubts with their peers and leairn much more than if they were studying by themselves.
#6: THE ROOT CAUSE
Students should write down the things that are stressing them out. Many students simply feel frustrated and stressed without understanding the root cause of it. Having a diary will help students to vent out their frustrations and thoughts into it.
It may even help them realise the root cause of their problems and find a solution to it. If the student does not like writing, they can also choose to vent their feelings into social media or any other platforms.
#7: SLEEP
Whenever a major examination is coming up, many students will start complaining about how little sleep they are going to get during the study period. Sleep provides students with enough rest for their mind so that they can feel refreshed to study again.
Students depriving themselves of sleep will only cause harm to themselves. The extra time spent studying is not worth the stress and tiredness that comes with it.
#8: BREATHING EXERCISES
This is a simple but effective tip. Sitting up straight, closing their eyes and taking a few deep breaths can work wonders for students. Many people (not only students) underestimate the power of controlling their breathing to relieve stress and other frustrating feelings.
The power of breathing is that it can be done anywhere and anytime. It can be done while studying, during examinations, while collecting results or even when just sitting still doing nothing.
