Exam Stress? Here's How You Can Handle The stress!

Exams are around the corner for most of the students. Say, the mind-boggling board exams that are due by the end of the month. Or the plethora of tests that college students are scheduled to give before their mid-semester. One thing common during exams between any age group is “Exam Stress.” Exam fever or exam pressure as many of you might call it, it is all just the same! Not only students go through the stress, parents and grandparents also equally go through it.

Exam stress is detrimental as it causes panic and mind blocks during crucial moments. It also results in health problems. The symptoms include difficulty in getting to sleep or waking up, constant tiredness and forgetfulness. It also leads to irritation, unexplained aches, poor appetite and loss of interest in activities. Suffering from a couple of the above-mentioned symptoms mean higher levels of stress faced.

Stress is not always destructive. It also provides a platform to compete and be productive. It encourages one to be focused and determined to reach their goal. We’ve all heard our icons say, “I perform better under stress.” This is true as stress keeps you active and drives you to keep moving forward.  But extreme stress levels can lead students to feel out of control. As exam draws in, it causes a negative effect on time spent on crucial revision. Before this stress takes control of your life, here’s how you can keep it under your control.

Recognise your triggering point.

Firstly, recognise the point that really stressed you out. There might be various subjects, chapters, time or space that stresses you. Realise what’s that one point where you know you are going to get extremely stressed out! Once you do this, it will help you to figure out possible solutions to the problem.

Sleep when you are extremely stressed.

We try working harder or in fact, overdo when we are stressed. Remember, stress leads to blank outs and blockage. Stress means that you’ve overworked. So, quietly slide into your blanket and sleep for one to two hours. Also, eight hours of sleep is extremely important to remain calm and perform better. Good amount of sleep makes you productive.

Tailor a new plan every day.

Every day is different. It’s practically not possible to execute rock-solid plans. Variety and change are required to keep your brain active. Water-tight plan leads to boredom which in turn leads to less productivity. Tailor a different plan for every new day.

Give some breathing space

Planning is quite important when you want to cover a variety of things. But it’s also equally important to give some breathing space in between your schedule. Be flexible with yourself. Going too hard won’t do any good. Give gaps between two activities. This will rejuvenate you.

Do something that you love for an hour.

Giving 15 mins breathing space during activities is essential. Doing something that you love is a necessity. Be it either dance, music, games, walk or exercise, just do it if you love it. Denying yourself things that you love makes you feel low and lost. While you might not be able to give a lot of time, one hour is great!

Eat Well.

When you have so much to work, you need energy as well. Not eating properly leads to tiredness and sickness. Eat well. Try including healthy food in your meals. Fresh fruits and juices will keep you refreshed and active!

Don’t Compare yourself with others.

Comparison leads to too much pressure. Pressure to perform better than someone. Pressure is formed when you know the other has prepared better and knows everything. Don’t compare. It doesn’t matter what other’s have done. Some might bluff to put you in the stress zone. Just stay calm and be confident with what you have done.

Know your comfort zone!

Comfort zones make you feel like the boss in your space. So, know your comfort zone. This will help you to regain your sense of calm and confidence. For example, section B is your comfort zone in a paper. You find section C to be daunting and skimming through it makes you stressed. Simply work on section B feel self-assured about it. This initial confidence will help you sail through the stress.

Remain Positive.

This is an advice that you are bound to get it from everyone. Trust, it’s the best advice. Remaining positive will lead to your surrounding also becoming positive. For example, there is a question that you think you can’t solve. Don’t panic. Tell yourself that it’s easy and that you can do it. This ultimately will make you try it and the moment you do, you will figure your way out.

Don’t discuss after an exam.

Once your exam is over, it’s over. There is no need for discussion. Ideally, head straight back home, have a sumptuous meal and sleep. Discussing will lead to confusion. By chance, if you’ve done something wrong, that will haunt you until your next exam. Discussing is a distraction. So, don’t.

At the end of the day, exams are a part and parcel of everyone’s life. It’s not the end of the world. Stay calm and do your best. Don’t stress and spoil your health.

Also Read: N M Pushpa Has Written 657 Exams In 10 Years For The Disabled