How To Deal With Examination Stress.
• Exam stress affects most students in varying ways. It is important to manage this stress and find little ways of helping to eliminate the risk of environment that can be damaging during the exams .
• Here are some handy tips that can help to dissipate stress:-
Take regular breaks and schedule in fun things to look forward to:-
• Even the most intense exam timetables will allow a little time for a study break. This can include 20-minute breaks during your revision day, and longer activities that you can look forward to
• Go out for dinner with friends, go to the cinema, attend a gig, anything that you like doing in your spare time that will take your mind off exams.
Exercise and get outdoors:-
• During exams we always find that our interest is always stuck in outdoor things such as friends playing in the park or the weather seems to be nice and we want to go outside
• Use this to your advantage and go out for a walk, or a run, or head to the gym or swimming pool. As well as keeping you healthy, exercise is known to boost your mood
Don’t focus on others preparation:-
• While it is helpful to discuss topics with fellow students and often to revise together, try not to compare other peoples' revision to your own
• Chances are you’re doing just fine, and listening to other people talk about what they’ve learnt will only stress you out and may make you feel like you aren't progressing as well as them
Speak to someone:-
• If the stress gets to a point where it is overwhelming, and is affecting your examination preparation then you must talk with someone rather than keeping it to yourself
• Universities and schools often have counselors that you can can speak to people about your concerns, and will be able to offer more advice on how to manage it
• If you feel shy or embarrassed to do so open up to a family member or a friend about the pressure you feel. You’ll be amazed to know that you aren’t alone in feeling like this.
Don’t miss your sleeps:-
• The virtues of a good night’s sleep during exam season should not be underestimated
• Getting proper sleep will also help your brain to relax and perform better on the upcoming day
Dr Anshul Mahajan
Consultant psychiatrist