The days leading up to the examination can be stressful for students and can lead to mental and physical exhaustion in many cases, causing anxiety among students. Anxiety can negatively impact the academic preparation of students and lead to poor results and stress. The combination of stress and anxiety in return can take a heavy toll on the physical and mental health of the students, which by all means is undesirable.
Studies have shown that anxiety and stress can have a lasting impact on a student’s academic and social life, which diminishes their self-confidence in the long run, which makes addressing and understanding ways to handle anxiety during examinations paramount!
At the Glendale International School, the best CBSE school in Hyderabad, we understand the importance of stress management for students and help our students counter anxiety by teaching them a plethora of techniques. In this article, we learn the symptoms, causes, and ways to deal with anxiety during examinations in great detail to benefit the larger student community!
Understanding Exam Anxiety: Symptoms
Anxiety symptoms in students can vary; while the naked eyes see some symptoms, some are hardly noticeable. The varied range of symptoms means that, as teachers and parents, it is our responsibility to help students with their test anxiety symptoms. Before addressing the symptoms, it is imperative to recognise and understand the symptoms of anxiety. Here are a few symptoms of anxiety we think are common among students during exams that we, as parents and teachers, should keep an out for:
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Difficulty in breathing at times
- Long spells of restlessness
- Nausea
- Abdominal distress
- Diarrhea
- Frequent palpitations
- Loss of appetite
- Profuse sweating
- Sweaty palms
- Long spells of headaches
- Migraine
- Numbness in feet and hands
- Fear &
- Trouble in making decisions.
While these are just a few symptoms of anxiety, it is always better to communicate with the students regularly and be understanding of their feelings. By lending an ear, students with anxiety feel at ease and come forward to seek help, which plays a massive role in the student’s well-being and dealing with anxiety!
Common Causes Of Anxiety
Anxiety can be a thorn in the path of progress and negatively impact the students in the long run. Anxiety can shatter the self-confidence of students and drag them down the rabbit hole of negative thoughts, which can contribute to negative self-portrayal. Studies show that negative self-portrayal can further hinder their ability in academics, social, and personal development and cause depression, which is why encouraging stress management for students is the need of the hour.
Here are a few causes of anxiety we can address to help our students stay calm and collected during examinations –
- Inadequate preparation
- Peer pressure
- Societal pressure
- Unmanaged self-expectations
- Lack of motivation
- Fear of failure
- Negative experience during previous examinations
- Negative thoughts &
- Over-thinking.
With the symptoms and causes out of the way, let us look at a few of the best study tips for exams and student well-being.
Best Strategies To Overcome Exam Fears
With decades of teaching experience, here are a few study tips for exams we at the Glendale International Academy, the best school in Hyderabad, vouch for to overcome stress, anxiety and fear during exams –
Deploy Study Techniques For Better Preparation –
Each student is different and has their way of understanding, learning, and retaining information on various concepts of various subjects. We at Glendale encourage our students to come up with their own study techniques which they feel comfortable with while preparing for their examination. These study techniques and teacher guidance will help students overcome test anxiety symptoms and confidently perform better during their exams. A few study techniques that are proven to be effective are –
- Mind Mapping
- Pomodoro Technique
- Spaced Repetition
- SQ3R Method
- Feynman Technique &
- Active Recall Method!
Time Management –
One of the most crucial aspects of healthy exam preparation is developing time management skills. Time management techniques not only help you in your academics but also help you form a discipline that will be beneficial in the long run. By incorporating time management techniques, students can avoid last-minute preparation, contributing to most stress and anxiety during examinations. Research has shown that efficient time management can help prevent and deal with anxiety and depression, which, when unaddressed, might result in poor academic performance! A few time management techniques that are proven to help with test anxiety management are:
- Goal Setting
- Pomodoro Technique
- Taking Regular Breaks
- Eisenhower Matrix
- Prioritising Tasks
- Creating Calendars &
- Avoiding Multitasking.
Stress Relief Techniques For Exam Anxiety –
The combination of stress and anxiety can hamper the learning curve of students and can have a negative impact on their studies. At the Glendale International School, as part of the CBSE curriculum, we teach our students various stress relief techniques to reduce anxiety and encourage holistic development. Here are a few stress relief study tips for exam anxiety we teach our students to help them deal with anxiety –
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Deep Breathing
- Mindful Eating
- Physical Exercise
- Calming Music
- Timed Breaks &
- Mindfulness!
The Power Of Positive Thinking –
Our physical self and mental state of mind is a reflection of our thinking. Positive thinking during examinations can do wonders in boosting self-confidence in students. Teachers and parents can compliment students on their small achievements to encourage a better perspective on themselves. This not only helps the students have self-confidence but also allows them to try learning concepts and subjects that might be difficult otherwise. A positive mindset can help reduce negative self-portrayal and help reduce anxiety and stress! Positive affirmations will encourage students to deal with challenges in the right spirit and to come up with solutions, which is needed during examinations!
Healthy Lifestyle For Better Performance –
Studies have shown that a healthy lifestyle will negatively affect the level of anxiety and stress, meaning leading an active lifestyle and taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental health can lead to better performance during examinations! Here are a few ways to lead a healthy lifestyle to deal with anxiety during examination –
- Healthy Sleep Cycle
- Healthy Diet
- Exercise
- Yoga
- Mindfulness
- Deep Breathing &
- Self Care!
Seeking Support & Guidance –
Students should seek help when experiencing anxiety during examinations. Teachers, parents and mentors can help students deal with stress and anxiety during the tests and help them overcome the hurdles. Communicating about understanding anxiety will encourage young minds to approach their teachers and parents for help!
Exam Day Tips To Manage Anxiety
D-Day can be overwhelming for students and to overcome anxiety. Here are a few study tips for exams we stand by on the day of the exam to manage anxiety –
- Mindful Breathing
- Short Meditation
- Deep Breathing &
- Positive Thinking
Long-Term Approaches to Reduce Exam Stress
While all the above tips and tricks are for during the examination days or the days leading up to it, we advise students to follow these simple tasks to reduce exam anxiety and stress in the long run –
- Create And Stick To A Study Plan
- Be Consistent With Studies
- Schedule Regular Revision Sessions
- Exercise
- Meditate
- Get Enough Sleep
- Eat Right
- Deploy Time Management Techniques &
- Seek Help When Required.
We hope this article has helped you understand the symptoms, causes and effective ways to deal with exam time anxiety. For more such insightful articles on various ways to deal with examination stress, click here, and for more information about life at the Glendale International School, click here!
FAQs
What are some quick techniques to calm anxiety during an exam?
A few quick techniques and stress management for students to calm anxiety during an exam are –
- Short Meditation
- Mindfulness
- Calm Breathing
- Physical Activities ( Walking, Yoga, Running, Sports)
- Listening To Music &
- Positive Thinking.
How does physical exercise influence exam anxiety?
Physical exercises release endorphins or feel-good hormones that help reduce stress and provide an escape from negative thoughts, thereby encouraging positive thoughts and clarity of thoughts that are important for reducing anxiety!
What role does sleep play in managing test anxiety?
Adequate amounts of sleep help the body and mind gain much-needed rest from stress. This, in turn, allows the mind to start afresh after getting up and helps make studying more efficient and effective!
