stress
Stress is your body’s way of
responding to any kind of demand or threat. When you sense danger whether it’s
real or imagined—the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic
process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response
which affect us and causes us to feel;
- Depression and anxiety
- Pain of any kind
- Sleep problems
- Autoimmune diseases
- Digestive problems
- Skin conditions, such as eczema
- Heart disease
- Weight problems
- Reproductive issues
- Thinking and memory problems
Exams are crucial parts of Education and the source of stress
for many students. In order to avoid crippling anxiety from these pesky
evaluations, it is important to approach them with a clear mind and an
understanding of how to deal with stressful situation more broadly. In many
cases, exams stress is all in the mind, and mental discipline is a large part
of what is needed to succeed.
- Be sure to consult your syllabus or ask your instructors what material you will be responsible for. If you have concrete sense of what you will be tested on, the future test will feel less vague and more like something you can handle.
- If you aren’t clear about anything, ask your teacher. Teachers would much rather answer questions than have their students precede without understanding what’s expected. Make sure you have read your syllabus and any information your teacher has given to you before asking questions.
- Study in conditions similar to your test room. There is a phenomenon in psychology called context-dependent memory it refers to the idea that we are best able to remember things in every environment similar to when the information was encoded.
- Take notes in class, do not just rely on your memory or your course book, and take your class time seriously by taking notes, summarizing what your teacher has said. If you are felling exams stress, you can review your note; this will help you remember things that happened in class that you didn’t even take note on, further giving you a sense of mastery over material. When taking note, focus on jotting down keywords and key ideas, rather than trying to take dictation. Copying out the exact sentences is not as important as getting down the main ideas.
- Review your notes weekly. This will help you learn the material and transfers it to long-term memory. When it’s time for the exams, you’ll fell much better prepared. Manage your time wisely. Do not just cram for an exam last minute; this will surely lead to exam stress. Break up your study time into chunks over days or weeks even. When you chunk your study time over the course of a longer period of time, such as a few days or weeks, you will retain more of the information.
- Take frequent break, According to psychologists the average human brain can only focus on one task effectively for about 45 minutes. In addition, research in neuroscience suggests that focusing on the same thing for too long diminishes the brain’s ability to accurately process it.
- Be sure to drink plenty of water. Aim for at least eight-ounce glasses of water per day. Not drinking enough water can make you feel sluggish and stressed
- Reward your achievements, no matter how small. If you are feeling stressed about an exam, be sure to reward yourself for your study time. This will motivate you to continue studying and may even reduce stress.
- For example, after studying hard for an hour, take a break and play on the internet for 20 minutes or watch an episode of a TV show that you enjoy. This will help you get your mind off the exam while acting as a motivational carrot that may help you pick up studying again after your break.
- Exercise: regular aerobic exercise can relieve stress, so if you find yourself a nervous wreck before an exam, go for a run or hit the gym.
- Keep an eye on the clock and give yourself five to ten minutes to go over your answers to check for any mistakes or to guess on any questions that you initially skipped
- Arrive early: you may be nervous about the test itself so there is no need for extra stress from fear of being late. Plus by arriving early fear of being late, by arriving early you will be sure to get the seat that you like.
- Read instructions carefully. Before answering any exam questions, figure out exactly what is expected of you. Skim the text to see its content and give yourself a rough idea of how long each question will take to complete. Ambiguity can cause stress, so by knowing how long the test is, you will reduce your stress. How long the text is you will reduce your stress. Easier said than done, of course but, try to keep in mind that once the exam is over you can’t go back and change anything about how it went. So, avoid asking your friends what they put for certain questions you think that will just stress you out. To avoid ruminating, or getting stuck in that”broken-record loop.” Try the following tip
- Let go of the things you can’t control. Ask yourself, What about my exams can I change at this point? If it is nothing, do your best to let go. View your mistakes as opportunities to learn. Form this perspective, getting an exam question wrong isn’t something to be worried about. Try scheduling a worry break. Set aside 30 minutes and let all your worries out during that time. Think hard about the things you are stressed about. Then once those 30 minutes is up, let go. Exercise can also help you get your mind off of your exam after it is done.
- Take time off. Clear your mind from thinking about the exam by doing something you enjoy, try to pick an activity that you typically get lost in. for example, if you get absorbed when you watch movie or read a book, do that. If you get really into sports when you play them, get outside and play some sports! Treat it as a learning experience. You can learn from your mistakes; remember that ultimately the goal of an exam is to assess your level of knowledge on a topic. This helps you to identify your strengths and weakness regarding your course content. Instead of being stressed about this information, Try to view it as an opportunity for an accurate assessment of your knowledge, which you can then use to improve yourself. Remember that your performance on an exam is not indicative of your worth as a person. You can do poorly on an exam and still be a good student. Tread yourself. Eat some pizza or sushi or candy or buy yourself a new shirt whatever treats you like that makes you happy for a few moments. Exams are very stressful but you made it through. Now relax a bit with something you enjoy then start preparing early for your next exam!
The following are other signs and symptoms of stress
The most dangerous thing about
stress is how easily it can creep up on you. You get used to it. It starts to
feels familiar - even normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you,
even as it takes a heavy toll. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the
common warning signs and symptoms of stress overload.
Cognitive symptoms
- Memory problems
- Inability to concentrate
- Poor judgment
- Seeing only the negative
- Anxious or racing thoughts
- Constant worrying
Emotional symptoms
- Depression or general unhappiness
- Anxiety and agitation
- Moodiness, irritability, or anger
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Loneliness and isolation
- Other mental or emotional health problems
Physical symptoms
- Aches and pains
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Nausea, dizziness
- Chest pain, rapid heart rate
- Loss of sex drive
- Frequent colds or flu
Behavioral symptoms
- Eating more or less
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Withdrawing from others
- Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities
- Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
- Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)
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