Panic, stage fright, fear of failure? How to overcome exam anxiety – The Irish Times

Exam stress: According to a recent study by Test stress, exam stress is the number one concern for the majority of Level 2 students. Studyclix.ie.

For Dr. Jennifer Simmons, Associate Professor of Education at UCD School of Education, the magnitude of anxiety is not surprising.

“Testing is not a natural condition. It is an artificial condition that we have created that negatively affects the mental health of many people,” she says.

[ Exam stress is in the air. Could hypnosis, havening or CBT be the answer? ]

For Dr. David Ptwain, Professor of Education at the Liverpool John Moores University School of Education, exam stress is a major concern in his job.

“Most students are nervous at one point when taking an important test or presentation, but exam anxiety refers to students who experience persistently high levels of anxiety and worry in situations where their grades are being evaluated. , which is surprisingly common,” he said. A recent gathering at the UCD School of Education and the Geary Institute for Public Policy.

“It manifests as a sudden panic, a bad feeling, a jelly-like stomach, stage fright, a feeling that you’re going to fail, your life is going to fail, and you’re letting yourself down. Girls are boys. We report it more than we do, but no other social group or school seems to experience it to a greater or lesser extent.”

Tests and pressure are part of life, but consider what the tests and pressure are for: to select the best performers in a particular course, to prepare for employment, to assess learning, etc. there is a need, he says.

“We need to look at the reasons behind imposing a system on all students that is not suitable for them all, and we need to have a system that identifies what people are good at. , is not the system we have in place in most Westernized countries,” he says.

[ One month to the Leaving Cert exams: the dos and don’ts of the final countdown ]

But in the meantime, students are stuck in our system.

Exams can be very stressful for some, and parents may struggle to support their children through the intense weeks. We spoke to experts, teachers and students and asked, “What’s the best way to overcome exam depression?”

“Diaphragmatic” Breathing

“Behaviors, thoughts, emotions and physiology all interact,” says Dr. Ptwain. “When we are anxious, we breathe with our chest, not our diaphragm. helps calm us down.”

Finish your studies early in the evening and do something that will help you de-stress, relax and sleep better.

— Bernadette Walsh, CareersPortal.ie

There are many guides online, but this breathing technique involves sitting or lying down in a comfortable position, closing your eyes, and placing one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen (under your ribcage, above your diaphragm). You have to put it down and take a breath, he says. Exhale through your nose for about 4 seconds and inhale into your belly. My stomach sticks out.

As you exhale, tighten your abs and lower your abdomen.

Ptwain says that if you practice a few times a day, you’ll have the ripple effect of changing your thinking and gaining control over your emotions, not the other way around.

Familiarize yourself with settings and documents

With JuniorCert canceled in 2020, most of this year’s applicants have never taken the state exam, said former teacher and founder Luke Sanders. Studyclix.ie.

“In the days leading up to the exam, I recommend going to the hall, knowing where you will sit, what time you set your alarm, and visualizing how you will get there on the day. I know,” he says.

Avoid marathon study sessions

Overwhelmed? Instead of studying for 3-4 hours straight, take a break. And let’s take a break before we get tired, says Ms. Griffin, a UCD psychology student first-year student Ronan, who scored 625 on the Leiving Cert.

“I worked for 25 minutes, rested for 5 minutes, played with my dog, walked around the house and yard, didn’t touch my phone,” he says. “Scheduled breaks also mean that you can set your own tasks in 25 minutes and use your time more productively.”

find a routine that works for you

By her own admission, UCD student Aisling Walsh is no morning person. Her solution to getting through her exams was finding habits that worked for her that made her feel better.

“I spent 20 euros on a pen because I felt I could write faster with a pen. My mother bought me a UCD hoodie. I wanted to go (and I did) so I wore it to wear to the exam. It may sound irrational, but it made me feel safe,” she told Studyclix.ie. Content contributor Walsh said.

take time to relax

Quality sleep and eating nutritious foods are very important to boost your energy and focus levels, says guidance counselor Bernadette Walsh. career portal.ie.

“Focus on relaxing a bit instead of studying until bedtime the night before,” she says. “Finish your studies early in the evening and do something to calm you down, relax and sleep better. let’s smoke.”

This will help you sleep better and is a great preparation, she says. “Some students find that listening to podcasts that promote relaxation and mindfulness can be very helpful in reducing their stress levels,” she added.

get the timing right

Even with all the knowledge, there will always be bright students who run out of time at the exam hall, says Luke Sanders. This can exacerbate anxiety.

“Especially for exams that have a limited amount of time, such as history or English, have a clear time plan in your head and write down the timings when you walk into the exam hall,” he says. “This helps us stay on track.”

Control your phone, don’t let your phone control you

Aisling Walsh was worried about the amount of time she was spending on her cell phone when she was faced with her retirement certificate. what is her solution?

[ Overuse of smartphones ruining ability to study, say many secondary students ]

“Set a timer to block social media apps for a certain amount of time during the day,” she says. “I like an app called Forest that puts limits on using certain apps. It grows a little virtual tree while you spend time offline, but when you cancel the timer, the tree disappears. I’ve found it helps.”

Need more help? Check out these support sources

HSE

The Health Service Executive (HSE.ie) has compiled helpful tips on: keep calm and take care of your health

jigsaw puzzle

Adolescent mental health websites offer helpful tips and Student case study Those who suffered from anxiety but coped with exam stress during state exams

future sparks

AIB FutureSparks.ie Contains a variety of resources to help students struggling with stress and anxiety. Over 600 primary schools have registered and students log in using their school’s access code. If you don’t have an access code for your school, you can ask your teacher to share your access code with you, or your teacher can sign up for free on the site to get one.