Exam Stress and Anxiety

It's that time of year for us in the Northern hemisphere, where we are about to finish the semester before the summer. Exam season is happening right now and if you're a mom like me, you might be feeling the stress build up.

Your kids stay up later to study. You cannot relax, knowing that they're under pressure to cram in as much knowledge as possible before the next test.

Scores are added; futures are made or shattered depending on the results.

As parents, we are suffering with our kids. The same goes for teachers because we also want the best for our students.

I see it from both sides.

General Anxiety

It's normal to feel anxious and a little stressed when you're under short term pressure. It's not a nice feeling, but it goes away quickly when the situation has ended. It's like the butterflies you feel before a game or performing in a school play.

Exam Stress

The stress which our students feel during the exam season is a combination of cognitive responses (thoughts of the exams) and physical responses (sensations in the body).

How do we help kids / students get through these weeks of exam stress?

Emotional intelligence

The first way to help a student is to show them how to take control of their own emotions. Help them understand that many things can influence them in a positive, or in a negative way.

Labeling emotions can help to pre-emptying negative and explosive behaviors by dealing with them before they get too much.

Recognizing an emotional overwhelm before it happens is part of taking control by managing them alone or know where to go for support.

Your language

Can you tell me how you're feeling?

Show sympathy - That sounds tough.

Is this a new feeling?

How long have you've been feeling this way?

What kind of things helped you when you felt this before?

Understanding control

Give them the tools to know what they can and cannot control. For example, you can control your own thoughts and how you speak to other people, but you cannot control other people's thoughts and words.

Guide students to understand how they think and feel especially younger students. Remind them that all feelings are normal and open for conversations.

Be prepared to listen and be present when they do ask for help.

Tell your student that sometimes it's best to walk away from a situation before it gets too much. I see students study in the school library, but some kids only distract others. Others stay in there for hours and come home feeling unwell.

Study Guides

Show students how to plan their exam content, and practice what works. For example, your teachers might give you some practice papers to work through, or guides to follow.

Help the students revise by showing them study techniques, like color coding key words, mind mapping, and diagrams.

Use focus apps and other technology to organize work into manageable steps like "bite-sized" chunks of information.

How does a mouse eat an elephant? In small bites.

Show your students that their study elephants can be divided into smaller parts so that the work doesn't feel overwhelming.

Rest and Relax

Make sure students know that they need some "down time" too for fun activities and exercise.

Don't give up on everything just because there is an exam or test coming up. Let students go play football or basketball as normal. It's important to do other things than just studying.

Drawing, music, and journaling are great ways to relax away from studying and so do practicing mindfulness and meditation.

Stress management techniques.

When you've tried everything and the stress must come out. There are many ways you can help your student to feel better and calm down.

Breathing exercises

Grounding techniques

A weighted blanket

Stress ball or fidget toy.

Visual meditation techniques

Body tightening exercises

Ten-second hug

Drawing or coloring to calm

Self-talk (Positive affirmation) You've got this!

Exercise

Go outside and enjoy being in the sunshine.

Play or hang out with friends and talk about how you're feeling.

Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

In this article, I've described some of the ways that I've worked with my own kids and older students to get them through stress and anxiety.

You'll probably remember how you felt when you went through your exams in school or college. It's a tough time but you do get through it.

My name is Lizzy. I'm a trauma survivor, a wife, a mom, a teacher, and an author.

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More from Elizabeth Woods:

How Do You Manage Stress?

https://medium.com/activated-thinker/how-do-you-manage-your-stress-477b7a66153d

Are You Feeling Valued?

https://medium.com/illumination/are-you-feeling-valued-fc1376f695bc

Challenge Vs. Struggle

https://medium.com/activated-thinker/challenge-vs-struggle-af12e236afa2

What's Your Anxiety Variety?

https://medium.com/illumination/whats-your-anxiety-variety-552117898656

The Power of the Breath

https://medium.com/illumination/the-power-of-the-breath-3e7dd21d1f4e 

Mental Health Matters

https://medium.com/illumination/mental-health-matters-0d145057cf5d