A school is a stressful place as it is. However, nothing scares young people more than an upcoming exam session. Indeed, a lot of stress, pressure, and fear is packed into this brief time period focused on evaluating students’ skills and knowledge. Though, does it really have to be that bad? Students have to deal with exams every semester for years. Therefore, it only makes sense to develop personal coping mechanisms to help them overcome this season’s stress and anxieties. So, here are seven tested and efficient ways to cope with exam stress.
- Sleep and eat well
Number one is to eat well and sleep long enough. Such tips may look simple, but they lie in the very foundation of your success. Thus, a tired, sleep-deprived, hungry student on a bad diet has close to zero chances of coping with upcoming stress. Fortunately, avoiding such a mistake is rather easy. First, you should prevent all-nighters, late studying (or partying, for that matter), and other sleep sacrifices. A good night’s sleep is essential for proper rest, decompressing, and recharging. It also helps balance your mood and energy levels.
On the other hand, a healthy diet is essential for your physical and mental health. What you eat greatly affects how you feel, including your inner strength, energy, and hormone levels (thus, happiness, confidence, peace of mind, etc.). In addition, a good diet will nourish your brain and body, making you stronger in stressful situations.
- Exercise
Exercise will help you feel strong and energized. It will also release your dopamine hormones, making you view things in a more positive (confident) light. Not to mention that exercising is a perfect tool for releasing negative emotions, including stress. There is simply no room for anxiety while you take care of your body.
Plus, you don’t have to do anything extra. Brief stretching sessions throughout the day long walks, and going to the gym a few times per week will already help you feel less nervous about approaching exams.
- Set achievable goals
More often than not, we fall under pressure due to unrealistic goals. The thing is, we impose those goals upon ourselves. So, it is partially our fault we feel so stressed out and burnout during each exam session. That’s not the way to go. Instead, take time to determine your expectations and hope for the next exam session.
Think about what grades will be enough. Where do you want to pay the most attention? What classes need more preparation? What results will be sufficient for the successful ending of the semester? Setting the right goals based on these questions will help you reduce stress and approach exams with a clear head.
- Stick to a routine
A healthy routine adds balance and a sense of control to students’ lives. Of course, reaching a good routine and sticking to it takes time and effort. However, eventually, living by a routine becomes a habit. Thus, young people wake up and go to bed at certain hours. They have time for meals, rest, homework, and classes. Everything seems well-planned, measured, and balanced. You have time for hard work, relaxation, social activities, etc. Such a routine helps students stay organized and ahead of things, drastically reducing any reasons for stress.
- Don’t bottle up your feelings
You don’t have to live with stress. Yes, school can be hard and challenging. Yet, it doesn’t mean that stress is a common and normal part of it. Unfortunately, that’s how most young people feel these days. They accept their school anxieties as part of the experience and keep on living with them. It’s a mistake.
You shouldn’t bottle up your feelings. They are valid and important. Instead, you should learn to explain, express, share, and process those feelings. Letting negative emotions out of your system will help you cope with stress in a healthy and effective way.
- Seek help
One of the most straightforward and apparent tips on the list is to seek help when needed. Stress can come from time pressure or lacking valuable skills to complete certain assignments. Hence, looking for help and alternative ways to cope with homework and exam preparations seems a logical next step. For example, students can order papers at sites like writepaperfor.me. Such help will give young people more time to deal with other projects while receiving perfectly done essays in the end. Other options can be hiring tutors, organizing study groups, getting help from more experienced people, like teachers or family, or else. However, finding at least some help is essential in reducing overbearing stress before the exams.
- Reward yourself
Last but not least, don’t forget to treat yourself every once in a while. School is hard. So is life. Yet, it is no reason to give up and live under chronic stress. You are already doing plenty to deserve a good reward. Just being a student is already a hard job. Having self-care days every month or so should reward you for coping with school pressure.
You should do the same during the exams. Each passed exam requires a little celebration. So do something to unwind and have some fun and joy for a change. It will surely help you forget all about your troubles and stress.