EXAM STRESS
This is coming nearly a month after exams but still relevant because learning to deal with exam stress is so important and is something that could come in handy with work related stress and just the stress that comes with hectic everyday life. So sit back and take some notes; here are 5 ways to deal with exam stress.
1) RECOGNITION
BBC says that the first thing you need to do is to recognize that you are stressed. It's always helpful to talk to someone who understands the pressure you are under. Find a friend who is taking the same set of exams and just vent. With that being said, avoid comparing the amount of work you have done to other people's. This will only trigger anxiety, if not for you, then for the other person in question.
2) FOOD, FOOD, FOOD...
You have to eat right. Honestly, If you are not eating adequately, the amount of effort spent on revision will be wasted because at some point, it just will not go in and using food as a reward mechanism won't work either. If you're hungry, just eat man.
3) SLEEP
At this age, a lot of us ignore the importance of sleep at the right times and trust me, I know this because I'm practically nocturnal, myself. This is not good. As adults till the age of 65, we need 7-9 hours of sleep each night. The body releases more of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin, at night and this stands as one of the reasons why it's just better to sleep at night. As much as you feel like you need to revise, get your sleep hours in check. They are important.
4) EXERCISE
This might seem like a cliche thing to say, and unnecessary because where is the time to exercise when you have microeconomics on Monday, econometrics on Tuesday and macroeconomics on Wednesday. However, the best way to distract yourself and take your mind off the workload for a little while is through physical activity and this is good because physical activity releases endorphins in your brain and makes you feel good.
5) NOT THE END OF THE WORLD
This is one I struggled with a little bit. It is not the end of the world and you have to realize that life goes on after these exams. Even if you feel like these exams are all or nothing, they aren't and you have to just relax. I started getting really anxious and irritable because all I could think about was getting a first class and I put way more pressure on myself than I needed to have. So when it starts to get too much, just relax. It's not a do or die situation. Life goes on.
I hope these five tips help you deal with your exam stress. If you have any more tips, please leave a comment.
--- Chioma Elsa Nwanna
1) RECOGNITION
BBC says that the first thing you need to do is to recognize that you are stressed. It's always helpful to talk to someone who understands the pressure you are under. Find a friend who is taking the same set of exams and just vent. With that being said, avoid comparing the amount of work you have done to other people's. This will only trigger anxiety, if not for you, then for the other person in question.
2) FOOD, FOOD, FOOD...
You have to eat right. Honestly, If you are not eating adequately, the amount of effort spent on revision will be wasted because at some point, it just will not go in and using food as a reward mechanism won't work either. If you're hungry, just eat man.
3) SLEEP
At this age, a lot of us ignore the importance of sleep at the right times and trust me, I know this because I'm practically nocturnal, myself. This is not good. As adults till the age of 65, we need 7-9 hours of sleep each night. The body releases more of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin, at night and this stands as one of the reasons why it's just better to sleep at night. As much as you feel like you need to revise, get your sleep hours in check. They are important.
4) EXERCISE
This might seem like a cliche thing to say, and unnecessary because where is the time to exercise when you have microeconomics on Monday, econometrics on Tuesday and macroeconomics on Wednesday. However, the best way to distract yourself and take your mind off the workload for a little while is through physical activity and this is good because physical activity releases endorphins in your brain and makes you feel good.
5) NOT THE END OF THE WORLD
This is one I struggled with a little bit. It is not the end of the world and you have to realize that life goes on after these exams. Even if you feel like these exams are all or nothing, they aren't and you have to just relax. I started getting really anxious and irritable because all I could think about was getting a first class and I put way more pressure on myself than I needed to have. So when it starts to get too much, just relax. It's not a do or die situation. Life goes on.
I hope these five tips help you deal with your exam stress. If you have any more tips, please leave a comment.
--- Chioma Elsa Nwanna
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