Do you get stressed out about exams? Here’s where you should be. We’ll talk about where the ‘exam stress’ comes from and what you can do to beat it.
The tips you’ll find in this article are guaranteed to convert you into a calmer and more successful student if you recognize the signs of exam stress. Here’s how it goes!
How Do Exam Stresses Develop?
There’s real anxiety that comes with going to school. Taking exams can cause stress and anxiety, especially when you worry about sticking to a certain standard. A little stress is okay, but too much can make you grouchy or make you do poorly on tests. Students can learn coping skills by defining exam stress and its causes.
Stress might go unnoticed by students preparing for exams. You might feel sad, feel overwhelmed, and unmotivated, or you might experience stomach aches or fidget. Students who exhibit these signs of anxiety may be less inclined to prepare for tests, which further adds to the stress of taking tests.
Putting Pressure on Yourself
Students are not always put under pressure only by their families; they may also put a lot of pressure on themselves personally. The fear of failing a test may drive a student to perform at the very top of his or her ability. It’s not good to think about how difficult the exam is and worry about the outcome, because that adds even more stress to the test.
Having an External Pressure
Families or teachers often put pressure on students to perform. The goal is to perform their best so they don’t let themselves or anyone else down. Getting into exams is stressful enough. Also, if you’re trying to get a scholarship or do something academically specific, doing well on a test is even more serious.
An Insufficient Amount of Preparation
A student may feel nervous and anxious when she or he walks into an exam room knowing that they haven’t studied the course materials sufficiently. The best way to prepare for an examination is to begin studying well before the testing date. Last-minute cramming is a bad practice, but it also makes you anxious. An exam can be stressful for people who don’t sleep well if they decide upon pulling an all-nighter after procrastinating for days.
A Competitive Environment
Canada, an expert at My Assignment Help Canada explains, “Academic success is difficult given the high competition for admission into the ivy league and other elite colleges. They may think they compete with their peers which makes them even more nervous. It’s more important to score well on a simple test because it could influence your grade point average, which can determine your college admissions.”
Now, How to Keep Stress at Bay During Exams?
Here are tips you should follow to avoid unnecessary stress during exams:
Organizing Yourself Before A Test Will Prevent Stress
Your ability to plan your study time and stay on track will help you succeed in preparing for an exam. As we mentioned before, cramming in too much information and starting too late before an exam can cause anxiety. Put an end to that stress and take exams that were stressful into just exams.
1. Get Your Room and Desk Clean
It’s been said that “a cluttered desk indicates a cluttered mind.” Do you agree? Your mother doesn’t just say that to make you clean your room because she wants you to. Scientifically speaking, it’s true.
Having a messy workspace will make it difficult for you to focus on preparing for your test. The reason is that your brain is under constant assault by the clutter around you. Your brain gets cluttered and you can’t think clearly, which causes stress.
It’s time to clean up your desk and room. Get organized like this:
- Try to reduce the amount of clutter in your workspace. Anything you don’t need, like snacks, photos, staplers, goes. Take them off your desk or out of the room.
- Drawers are your friend. Make use of your wardrobe and drawers to store things. Your desk should only have what you need to finish your current project.
- Get your act together before you leave. Every evening, take five minutes to clear your desk and your brain of clutter so you can start fresh the next day.
2. Learn to Manage Your Time Effectively
Students who were taught time management techniques showed reduced exam-related anxiety. You’ll be more focused when you get enough sleep. You’ll also feel more energized when you’re rested. Being organized will help you feel less stressed, so you won’t feel overwhelmed.
Here’s how I managed my time to be an A student and get 8 hours of sleep:
- Once you’ve studied for 40 to 50 minutes, take a break. The most productive way for most students to work is to break up their work into chunks of about 40 to 50 minutes.
- Adhere to the deadlines. Don’t wait until the last minute to complete your assignments. It will give you time to read over your work.
- Make studying a priority. Make it a regular thing. Put it on your calendar.
- Be brave and say no to commitments if they clash with your schedules.
3. Multitasking Isn’t Good
Human beings aren’t wired to multitask. Your heart rate goes up, your blood pressure goes up, and you’re stressed. Multitasking may appear to be an efficient approach to time management, but it ends up wasting time and result in poor work quality.
Here’s how NOT to multitask:
- Before you begin work, clear your mind of all distractions (look back at Tip 1).
- Your browser’s tabs should be closed, and you should minimize all your windows.
- Take a look at your to-do list for the day. Transform it into a simple to-do list.
- Ensure the tasks on your list have realistic deadlines.
- As soon as you kick start studying for the day, keep a legal pad beside you. Note down random to-do stuff and anything that’s bothering you while you study to look in afterward.
4. Cut Back on Screen-Time
You wouldn’t think your phone would make you stressed! It’s been shown that overusing your smartphone can lead to stress and negatively affect your mental health. It’s time to learn how to use your phone smarter.
Here are some ideas:
- Do not check your social media accounts more than twice a day.
- Deactivate all notifications,
- Go off your phone after 9 pm, or at least put it in airplane mode.
You can also use fun apps such as Forest to tune out your phone and keep focused on your exams if you’re still struggling. Forest has a seed that you can plant when you need to concentrate. It’ll wither and die if you leave the app.
Prepare Your Body for A Test by Staying Active and Improving Your Physical Health
Stress can be treated by engaging in physical activity. This is a scientifically proven method. Getting active lowers stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Similarly, exercise elevates your mood and makes you feel better. Plus, a better physical state makes it easier to deal with stress.
5. Maintain A Regular Exercise Schedule
Exercise that is high-intensity is good for your well-being. We’ve got to get moving! There’s no need to train for a marathon, but you should start getting in shape.
We’ve got a few ideas:
- Focus on small, consistent goals every day. The frequency of new habits, such as exercise, is more important than intensity when establishing them.
- Take part in a physical activity you enjoy.
- Make sure you exercise for 30 minutes every day (walking, cycling, jogging, calisthenics).
- Make sure you have a workout buddy. You can stay on track with an exercise partner.
- If you don’t enjoy exercises in any form, listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks while you work out.
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6. Let the Sun Shine on You Every Day
Increase the amount of sunlight you’re exposed to increase your serotonin levels. From five to fifteen minutes of sunlight per day are adequate for maintaining healthy levels of serotonin. You should, however, don a hat and lather up sunscreen if you’re planning to spend more than 15 minutes in direct sunlight.
7. Sleep plenty
Studying for hours on end isn’t healthy. Research shows that stress levels increase when sleep is cut short. It’s a two-way street between sleep and stress. Being stressed makes falling asleep harder. And even worse, it can make you sick, says, Martha, a writer at Online Essay Help Canada.
The effects of stress can be reduced by having a restful night’s sleep. Here are a few tips for getting a great night’s rest:
- Keep the same time for sleep and waking every day. Setting your internal clock in this way optimizes your sleeping patterns.
- Even at the weekend, avoid sleeping in. Maintain a regular schedule for your sleep. Take a short nap rather than sleeping in the next day if you had a late night.
- Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day. This helps to set your body’s internal clock and optimizes the quality of your sleep.
- Don’t take your electronics to bed. Devices that emit blue light can wake you up. Put your electronics away an hour before you sleep. Relax and think about a happy memory or read a book.
Relax Before A Test by Stimulating Your Senses
Stressed before an exam? Try sensory stimulation. It’s a great way to get your body going instead of getting caught up in your head. Don’t forget to get back to work after using any of these tips. You’ll just procrastinate and end up more stressed in the long run.
8. Enjoy A Leisurely Read
Up to 68% of stress can be reduced by reading for pleasure. Relaxing by reading lowers your heartbeat and eases muscle tension. Take a 10-minute break from studying next time you feel the tension of a looming exam building.
9. Have Some Dark Chocolate
Eating a little dark chocolate, a day helps reduce stress hormones. For chocolate lovers, this is awesome! Just make sure it’s dark chocolate 70% or more cocoa). It’s also not advisable to take more than 40 to 60 grams of dark chocolate a day, because dark chocolate is a calorie-dense food.
Be Mentally Tough Before Stressful Exams
It’s hard to balance school and life. You can’t always control what happens around you, but how you react to stress is within your control. You can build mental endurance before a stressful situation happens so that you’re more confident and able to handle it.
10. Affirm You Have Good Qualities
If you want to calm yourself down and eliminate exam butterflies, repeating positive affirmations is a great way to do so. Positive affirmations have been proven to reduce exam stress by reducing the levels of adrenaline in the body, thus helping you to reduce your level of stress.
The next time you feel your stress levels rising, try some of these affirmations to help you cope with it. Tell yourself these things several times a day:
- My focus is improving.
- It’s getting easier to take exams.
- Learning is a fun process for me.
- This exam motivates me to prepare well.
- I am working hard to achieve my goals.
- This exam is going to be a breeze for me.
11. Don’t Be Cruel to Yourself
When all you’re worried about is failing the exam, it’s easy to feel anxious.
Too much self-criticism weaves stress into your life. So, let yourself off the hook. Let yourself be compassionate with yourself. The study of self-compassion has shown that it decreases stress and promotes wellbeing.
Practicing self-compassion can take many forms:
- Write down three achievements each day. Any achievement counts, whether it’s reading a chapter from your history textbook or completing a math assignment. Just acknowledge them.
- Don’t be harsh with yourself. Treat yourself like a close friend. Ensure your goals are realistic. Avoid setting unrealistic targets.
The Takeaway!
You can combat exam stress with these 11 tips. Whenever the stress gets too much in the way, get in touch with LiveWebTutors and eliminate all woes. Here’s your chance to shine bright!
