Examinations are synonymous with stress and fear and can be a difficult time in a student’s life, especially when it comes to the Board exam. The pressure that a student feels can cause tremendous anxiety. Although a certain degree of stress is normal and essential for performing well, it is essential to be familiar with stress management techniques for students. We have a few strategies to help students cope with Board Exam Stress.
Understanding and recognising exam stress is vital for stress management for students, as it comes from various sources. It can be because the student has unrealistic and high expectations of themselves, is chasing academic goals or because of the high level of competition. Students can start feeling overwhelmed, anxious or helpless. They may suffer fatigue, headaches or have difficulty sleeping. sleep difficulties.
Stress Management Techniques for Students
There are several stress management techniques for students that can teach them how to deal with exam stress or how to reduce exam stress.
- Sleep Enough
- Exercise Regularly
- Breathe Properly
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- Use Guided Imagery
- Listen to Music
- Build a Strong Support Network
- Eat Healthy
- Find Ways to Reduce Stress
- Practise Mindfulness
- Adequate Preparation for Exams
Students tend to neglect sleep, but it is very important for them to catch at least 8 hours of sleep at night and take naps when necessary. Being sleep-deprived puts students at a disadvantage as it makes them less productive and makes learning more difficult. Sleep deprivation can be linked to impaired mood, lower scores, poor learning and a higher risk of failure.
Regular exercise is another great way to tackle stress. Studies show that students who indulge in regular physical activity have lower levels of stress. Even though these students face the same pressures as their less-active peers, they perceive less stressful and find it easier to manage. Even if there’s no time for structured exercise, activities like yoga, walking or biking to class, a dance session or just taking up a sport in school can make a world of difference.
When you are experiencing stress you often forget to breathe properly. When you breathe improperly and take short, shallow breaths, it can lead to various physical symptoms, such as stress, anxiety, fatigue and even panic attacks. Breathing exercises can relieve stress symptoms in minutes.
Another great stress management technique for students that can be used during examinations is progressive muscle relaxation or PMR. This involves tensing and relaxing all muscles of the body until it is completely relaxed and just takes a few seconds with practice. Learning PMR is a quick and effective way to relax in any stressful situation.
Guided imagery is another effective stress relief tool. Visualisations can help students relax and stay calm thus reducing the body’s stress response. Sitting in a quiet, comfortable place with your eyes closed and imagining a peaceful scene can work wonders in reducing stress. Guided imagery apps are also available for those who need help visualising a scene and inducing a relaxation response.
Music is a great stressbuster and can calm your mind and body. Studies show that music can improve memory and processing of information. Studies also show that students who listened to relaxing music were able to recover faster from a stressful situation. Music is versatile and students can enjoy its benefits by listening to classical music while studying, playing upbeat music to refresh themselves mentally, or listening to slow melodies to relax.
Emotional support is a great comfort at times of stress. Interpersonal relationships can also at times cause stress for students, such as changes in friendships, breakups, and transitions such as moving away for higher studies. Having a strong support network and people one can depend on are very important at such times and it’s necessary to nurture relationships. Try to meet new people, whether it involves joining study groups or by participating in academic, social and leisure activities together. Teachers, counsellors and mentors can offer academic supports while friends can give emotional and practical support.
Diet plays a huge role in one’s life as it can boost or sap your brainpower and make you more reactive to the stressors you face. Students often indulge in high-sugar and high-fat snacks such as chips and soft drinks as they provide a temporary sense of relief. A healthy and balanced diet can greatly reduce diet-related mood swings, dizziness and other stress related symptom. Eating healthy can be a challenge but students can make healthy choices like not skipping meals, carrying a water bottle to class, eating healthy snacks like nuts and fruits and reducing caffeine, nicotine and alcohol consumption.
Try to cut stress from your life wherever possible. Identify what causes you stress and evaluate if it is of any benefit or it is taking a toll on you. If it is affecting you adversely it might be best to cut them out of your life. This may include reducing some extracurricular activities, limiting the use of social media or just saying ‘No’ at times.
When dealing with stress it is important to be aware of how you feel at that particular moment so that you can respond more appropriately. Mindfulness prevents you from judging, reacting or avoiding problems. The goal of mindfulness is to focus on the moment, be aware of how you are feeling, observe your reactions and accept these feelings without passing judgment on them. Mindfulness based stress management is very effective in reducing student stress, anxiety and depression.
This is the single most important factor in handling exam stress. When you are well prepared, stress automatically reduces. It’s necessary to plan a structured study schedule to organise time efficiently. Allocate a specific time to each subject and break down the topics into manageable segments with short breaks. Set realistic and specific goals as it makes it easier to track progress and reduce stress. Engage with the material as that improves understanding and retention by making summarizing notes, flashcards, teaching the topics to your peers or participating in study groups. Practice papers of previous years and familiarise yourself with the format of exam questions.
On the day of the examination, arrive well in time to settle in and become comfortable. Stay calm with breathing exercises and read the Instructions carefully. Manage your time by assigning time for each section based on their marks and difficulty level.
After every exam, give some time to unwind and relax.
There is nothing unusual about exam stress and every student experiences it at some point, though the degree may vary. By implementing effective stress management techniques for students, such as prioritizing self-care and finding ways to unwind, students can reduce stress and enhance their performance. Stress management is a life skill that can be learnt with time and reduce Board exam stress. For more information on handling exam stress and learning strategies on how to reduce exam stress, you can log into the EuroSchool website.
