Day: February 20, 2021

Exams coming up? Here’s how to battle examination anxiety

With the examination schedules being declared its hard not to get anxious about our exams. Examination anxiety is a fairly common among students of all age groups, you would think a grown-up would know how to prepare for exams without being stressed out given all their previous experiences but that’s not the case. It is the uneasiness that occurs before, during, or after an examination and is not age-restricted.

Many people experience feelings of anxiety around examinations and find it helpful in some ways, as it can be motivating and create the pressure that is needed to stay focused on one’s performance. Examination nerves or fear of failure are normal for even the most talented student.

However, stress of examination results in such high degrees of anxiety in some students that they are unable to perform at their full potential, like they have shown in less stressful situations.

Sometimes it can result from the pressure to perform well in examination so that they don’t get judged by others (relatives, classmates, teachers), which is often the root cause for their negative thoughts about themselves, feelings of inadequacy, helplessness, and loss of status and self-esteem.

High stress can interfere with the student’s preparation, concentration, and performance so it is very important to manage it effectively so that it doesn’t get in the way of you giving your best performance in the exams. Just like other stressful situations, it is very easy to cope with examination anxiety and here are some ways to do so-

  • Prepare well– Plan it out and give yourself enough time to familiarize yourself with the content and the pattern of the question papers.
  • Multiple rehearsals- Practice as many mock papers as possible, when you are with your friends’ test each other by asking each other questions on the examination topics.
  • Inoculation- When practicing for examinations try to do so in an environment that is similar to the examination hall to prepare yourselves physically and mentally.
  • Think positive- Have faith in your abilities and emphasize on your strengths and try to think positively to motivate yourself.
  • Seek help- When facing a problem, do not hesitate to ask for help from your friends, seniors, teachers or parents. It will help you to feel stress-free and also give you an insight into the problem.

While preparing for examinations, exercising regularly even if a little bit and resting properly before the exam will be really helpful. Overview and weigh one’s strengths and weaknesses, plan a revision timetable, space out revision periods, and most importantly on the examination day concentrate on staying calm.

Coronavirus's Impact on Mental Health

Coronavirus has put the world into a stage it has never seen before – where all activity has to be done without human contact, which is a staple of life. Even though the strict lockdowns have started to ease up and life is gradually coming back to normal, we must acknowledge the impact the pandemic has had not just on people’s physical health and daily routines but on their mental health.

Withdrawing from all social interaction and using electronic gadgets for performing the most basic tasks, as well as the inevitable immobility that accompanies a lockdown, has taken a toll on people’s mental health. Additionally, most people have experienced the effects of the global economic recession which has worsened their condition. A KFF Health Tracking Poll from July 2020 found that many adults are reporting specific negative impacts on their mental health and well-being, such as difficulty sleeping (36%) or eating (32%), increases in alcohol consumption or substance use (12%), and worsening chronic conditions (12%), due to worry and stress over the coronavirus.

There are certain groups that are disproportionately affected by this: the people with low incomes or unstable jobs, and people that have lost close ones to the coronavirus. It is incredibly difficult to be high-functioning in such a scenario which is why many are resorting to substance abuse, because even mental healthcare is inaccessible.

In a situation like this, we must realize that we cannot be as harsh with people as we could before the pandemic. Being productive in such a gloomy and confined atmosphere is difficult, and this is the time in which everyone should stand together in solidarity against the virus and understand each other’s misgivings.