Exam Anxiety

Exams have always been viewed as a challenge; but after the pandemic, it has increased more than ever. Though we know that exams are a test of students’ knowledge, and their ability to grasp and recall the concepts that had been taught to them. This leaves little room for surprise that exams can be the cause of anxiety not only among students but their parents as well. It may feel like a never-ending cycle for the students having to give exams after every few months while dealing with the same emotions and pressure each time the deadline nears.

Anxiety can be caused due to the anticipation of exams along with the uncertainty of the questions being asked and the results they might receive at the end of exams. These anxieties are also magnified by the self-validation that people derive from getting good marks alone. To add to it, there is pressure to perform better or at least as well as the previous exams without letting personal issues affect the results.

For parents, it is the competence of their child to navigate through their career and how they might achieve success – which is more than often linked to the marks that they achieve in exams. Their concerns are valid yet pose a question on the amount of importance they might give to judging the competence of their children solely through their performance in exams.

Here are some tips that might help them reduce exam anxiety during the exams.

• Try to maintain a balanced diet and adequate sleep to reduce any extra burden that your body might have to endure.
• Study whatever had been taught in class as soon as possible for a better understanding of the topic.
• Start revisions for exams as soon as you are aware of the timetable and syllabus of exams. Being prepared is one of the best ways to tackle anxiety.
• Reduce the amount of time spent on social media and daydreaming as a form of distraction during breaks.
• Breathing exercises (Deep Breathing Techniques) can help in stabilizing breathing patterns and reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety to provide greater clarity of thought.
• Listen to soothing music specifically without any lyrics to have a calming effect during study breaks and help you remain in a relaxed state of mind.
• While you prepare to study make sure that you set targets that are achievable by you and keep in mind the speed and time which you normally take to fully understand a particular topic and set your goals based on them.
• Communicating your concerns with your Peers/Parents/ Teacher and asking for their help in preparation can also be beneficial.
• When dealing with negative thoughts you can try to evaluate them by finding any concrete evidence for your concern and finding alternate helpful thoughts or beliefs that can reduce your anxiety.