Excitement, damp palms, quickly beating heart, decreased need for sleep, fear of failure, even if it seems that you have studied everything, and stress as a result. Examinations are a hard test for students and schoolchildren. It is difficult for them to cope with such an emotional burden. From this article, you will learn how to stop worrying about exams.
Causes of stress
Stress is the body’s response to extreme conditions that violate the emotional balance of a person.
Symptoms of stress:
- depression or sudden mood swings;
- irritability;
- insomnia or persistent drowsiness;
- headache;
- cardiopalmus;
- distracted attention;
- trembling hands or legs;
- anxiety;
- decreased performance.
Prolonged stress can provoke many unpleasant illnesses and inadequate actions, aggravate already existing diseases. Therefore, you should know how to reduce exam stress at the stage of the first symptoms.
The uncertainty of a person in his capacity and erudition is the first leading cause of stress. Teachers increase doubts of the students criticizing them. This is due to the fact that the pedagogues are also pressured. The test scores have an impact on the rating of the educational institution.
One more cause of stress is the strict attitude of parents. They seem to exaggerate the situation deliberately, persuade that passing the exams perfectly is really essential, that the entire future life of the child depends on this.
The third cause of stress is the uneven load distribution. Sometimes a student begins to prepare for exams just a few days before they start and tries to place in his head knowledge that had to be accumulated there gradually.
Use several simple exam stress tips in order to avoid excitement and its consequences.
Tip 1: adjust yourself for success
Nothing terrible will happen even if the result will be worse than you expected and you don’t need to think about a failure. And start thinking positively, because everything begins with our internal attitudes. If you think you can do it, it will.
Tip 2: try to get ready for finals beforehand
The earlier you start the more confident you will feel. Even most talented pupils need systematic and long preparation precisely because it helps to avoid stress. Distribute the load wisely. Do not start with easy questions. This is self-deception. It seems that you know everything and no time remains for complex material.
Tip 3: write cheat sheets
Do not use them. It is almost impossible in modern realities. However, writing cheat sheets you’ll memorize everything much better than while reading. Highlight the main points. They will become the ‘beacons’ based on which you can easily recall the rest of the material. You will feel that understanding of several theses is equal to the knowledge of the whole chapter.
Tip 4: do not memorize what you do not realize
If you just memorize previously prepared information, anyone can easily confound you with a supplementary question. Especially it concerns exams that are passed not in the test mode but in direct communication between student and teacher.
Tip 5: do not get distracted
Do not turn on TV or music during preparation for exams. The sound background not only distracts from memorizing of information but also is an additional nervous irritant aggravating the general stressful state of the organism.
Tip 6: speak out the answers aloud
Good if one of parents or classmates will listen to you. You will get an audience that usually scares the students, makes them nervous. After such ‘rehearsals’ you can safely ‘go out to the public’. This will not distract you from thinking and answering.
Tip 7: clarify the incomprehensible details
If you do not understand something in the information which you study for the exams, do not hesitate to consult with the teacher. Pedagogue is not less interested in the successful passage of exams, so he won’t refuse to explain the material of the lectures and provide high school homework help.
Tip 8: maintain the correct regime
Do not prepare for exams at night. Binding to the habitual way of life will give your body and nervous system understanding that nothing extraordinary is happening.
Tip 9: suspend for a few minutes
Have a rest every 45 minutes. Make a habit of arranging little breaks to do several physical exercises, gymnastics for the eyes, drink juice, just stand near the window or on the balcony and breathe fresh air. So your nervous system will be tuned to the usual lesson.
Preparing for exams for more than 8 hours a day can badly influence the outcome. After this period the brain ceases to perceive information adequately, irritability increases, memory acts selectively, which results in errors.
Tip 10: walks
A little jaunt before bedtime is a perfect solution for an insomnia or even a stress. Scientists have proved that walking promotes better memorizing of information, keep the brain cells working. Evening stroll will help you to become patient and sleep quietly.
Tip 11: exclude coffee and tea
These drinks aggravate stress, act on the nervous system depressingly. Excitation becomes stronger, feeling of unmotivated anxiety increases. The same happens due to popular energy drinks. Replace coffee, tea and energy drinks with fruit juices (carrot, orange, grapefruit and apple).
Tip 12: eat a health food
Try not to drink beverages containing caffeine during stressful periods of life, refuse fast carbohydrates (buns, milk and white chocolate, cookies, chips and other delicacies will be left for later). Try to eat more protein, and harmful sweets replace with honey and nuts. Memory and attention will be grateful to you! By the way, for the memory is very useful to eat Greek yogurt, nuts, avocado, fish, blueberries and cinnamon. So, while studying, you can have a snack of something from these products.
The difficulties of coping with stress arise from the fact that it manifests itself in different ways, that’s why everyone copes with it in their own way. There is no magic cure for pre-examination stress, but there are ways that make it easier to relive it. Good luck!
