Exam stress

Every time we hear about a student committing suicide in India, we assume failure in some exams to be the cause. Students preparing for exams often feel under pressure. The pressure may result in feelings of anxiety or nervousness, and this exam stress can interfere with the individual’s daily life. While a certain amount of stress may be beneficial, too much exam stress can cause individuals to perform poorly on tests that mean so much to them. Learning the causes of exam stress can help students to understand their emotions and to regulate their anxiety level.

Causes of Exam Stress

Parents expect a lot from their children and therefore pressurize them to perform well in exams. However, keeping high expectations and pressurising children during exams can cause exam stress in them. Read on to know more about the causes of exam stress in children.

External Pressure

Many students feel pressured because of the expectations of family members or teachers. They want to do their best work so that they do not let anyone down with their performance. This pressure to do well can heighten exam stress. Also, if a student is working toward a scholarship or particular academic goal, performing well on a test will be of paramount importance. Students may perceive themselves to be in competition with others, and the competition may heighten their anxiety levels.

Internal Pressure

The pressure to perform well and succeed doesn’t just have to come from a student’s family; instead, the student may apply the pressure to himself. If the student wants to be the very best, poor performance on a test may be a great fear. If the student spends too much time thinking about how difficult the exam is and worrying about the outcome of the test, this negative approach will increase exam stress.

Lack of Preparation

When students do not feel that they have properly covered the reading material, feelings of nervousness and anxiety will sweep over them as they walk into the exam room. Students should study well in advance of the test and not wait until the last moment to prepare for an exam. Rushed, last-minute studying will increase anxiety. Students who do not sleep properly before an exam may also experience higher stress levels.

How to deal with exam stress

Exercise and go outdoors

Easily one of the most frustrating things about exam season is that it seems to occur just as the weather brightens up. 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 and can help to make you more productive while revising.

Don’t (always) listen to others

As the old saying goes: “comparison is the thief of joy”. 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. Plus, if they are stressed, this can rub off on to you and other people’s stress is not what you need right now.

Speak to someone

If the stress gets to a point where it is overwhelming and is affecting your day-to-day life, try and speak to someone about it. Your university or school should have a service where you can speak to people about your concerns and will be able to offer more advice on how to manage it. If that seems like too big a step, 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.