The pressure on our young people is growing each year as testing and examinations become more rigorous and increasingly frequent. Students all over are gearing up in preparation for their year-end examinations, and it is common to hear about the stress they feel during this season.
We recognise that many students experience heightened stress levels as examinations approach and in some cases that stress can become very acute, resulting in what many people refer to as panic attack.
It’s normal to assume that the only people getting stressed at exam time are the pupils. And it’s a fair point; they are the ones who have been revising rigorously for the last few weeks. It’s the students who have to walk into that vast, intimidating hall and try by any means to get the jumble of facts, dates, statistics and general information out of their head and onto the exam paper.
Experiencing symptoms which include “butterflies” in the stomach, trembling, palpitations or difficulty with sleeping or being irritable, unable to concentrate or cry for no apparent reason could be due to examinations stress. Thus, examination stress is a feeling of anxiety over one’s performance in the exams, the result and reaction of imagined failure.
Other common reactions to examination stress are changes in appetite, allergies, headache and migraine, sleep disturbance, cold and other respiratory infections, frequent urge to pass urine, muscle tension etc that have a physical expression. Similarly, irritability, anxiety or fearfulness, low self-esteem, inability to concentrate, frustration and aggression, depression or sadness or unable to relax etc. are some of the psychological or emotional symptoms. Undoubtedly, stress will rear its ugly head at times, and the key is helping our children handle it well. It is important to remember that our job as parents and teachers is to help them deal with these stresses and emotions effectively rather than shelter them or dismiss these realities.
Recognize that negative emotions can be opportunities for intimacy and teaching, where we can help them talk about their emotions and let them feel understood.
However, certain coping techniques can also prove to be beneficial.
Timetable: Three kinds of time table can help plan our task efficiently. A Semester Planner (map out task for Semester). A weekly Time Table (structure your time allowing flexibility). A Diary with daily Things To Do (TTD).
If you do not understand something, get help right away! Ask your teacher; review your books and notes; ask your Parent; take help from a tutor;
Ways to stay motivated: Connect with your classmate; discuss what you learn; chart your progress; reward yourself and plan to perform.
Few days before the examination: Prepare a revision time table; make you books, notes, and essays more user friendly with summary notes, headings, sub-headings, highlighting and revision cards. If you are stressed, talk to someone you feel comfortable to
One day before the examination: Have a relaxing night before the examination; don’t cram all night; try to have light dinner; don’t look for new notes before one day; focus on already prepared ones; talk with your family members to come out of your stress;
On the day of your examination: Avoid people who panic, wait in a place where you are calm; take the necessary things- a checklist of all items is essential; take deep breaths, making a suggestion or a prayer to do well and keep yourself relaxed.
Being prepared for all eventualities is important too, so as well as offering positive advice to our pupils, parents and teachers need to reassure them that there is life after exams – for you too! And reassure them that should things not go well, they will get the support and help they need.
As parents and teachers, we naturally want the best for our children and students. Equipping them to do well in their examinations is important, but so is helping them become happy and effective learners not just in the school setting, but for life.
(The writer is a teacher of English, DAV Public School, Pokhariput, Bhubaneswar)