8 Tips To Deal With Exam Stress By A Student Itself
As the school year 2022–2023 gets closer, you might already be worried and stressed about tests and assignments.
It’s normal for your mental health to suffer a little bit during hectic times, so as a graduate, I’m here to provide you with advice on how to handle test stress at university.
I was in your shoes when I was getting my bachelor’s degree, so I’m sure that my advice will help you.
Continue reading to learn the eight pieces of advice that a real student swears by.
1. Address Imposter Syndrome-Like Feelings
Let’s first briefly discuss imposter syndrome, which is the fear that you’re going to fail and that nothing you do will ever be good enough.
We’re all guilty of self-doubt and comparing ourselves to others, especially during university because there are so many individuals we think are “better” or “smarter” than us in lectures and seminars.
When you’re feeling like an “imposter,” you can persuade yourself that you just got lucky on a test or project when, in reality, you worked hard and did well.
You need to find ways to deal with the uncomfortable feelings that come with imposter syndrome because they add to the stress of tests and homework.
You can improve this by recognising your abilities; not viewing failure as the worst consequence, and instead utilising it to push yourself to do better; being honest with others about your feelings, and refraining from comparing your academic success to that of others.
2. Quit Unhealthy Activities
Similar to what I just said, you should stop engaging in any unhealthy behaviours during exam season to lessen your stress levels.
When you consume excessive amounts of alcohol or coffee, you’ll at first feel energised and upbeat, but you’ll eventually crash. The same applies to eating; try to break bad habits like ordering too much takeout or undereating.
The most important things are to have a nutritious diet, plenty of water to drink and get a full eight hours of sleep if you can.
3. Prioritise Yourself
If I could give any advice to university students who are currently struggling with test stress or other academic anxiety, it would be to prioritise their own needs above their studies.
Keep your focus on your emotional and physical health to avoid losing yourself in the process.
Exam and assignment deadlines are stressful times, and they can cause us to feel so anxious that we stay up late studying, forget to clean up after ourselves, eat the wrong things, or even forget to prepare meals.
Instead, you’ll discover that studying gets much simpler if you take the time to exercise self-care, pay attention to a healthy sleep schedule, maintain a healthy diet, and take regular breaks.
If you can, spend some time cleaning the area where you study or your room. I discovered that if I made my room seem cosy and comfortable, I would be more motivated to get work done. A good environment equals a healthy mind!
4. Get Off Your Phone And Take A Break
I can’t stress this enough: limit your time on social media and your phone when exams are approaching or when you have due dates for assignments.
You should focus on the task at hand rather than wasting time checking notifications or idly scrolling, since not only can it make you feel down to see what other people are doing, but it may also cause FOMO.
Simply looking at your phone can cause your body to generate a stress response, which can disrupt your sleep cycle.
Try to limit your screen time when you need to study or focus on your university work.
5. Slow Down And Breathe
You should set aside some time to just sit and pay attention to your breathing during difficult periods at university to de-stress both your body and mind.
If you’re having trouble completing a task or answering an exam question, take a moment to sit back, unwind, and breathe deeply. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to think clearly and put the situation into perspective.
Try your best not to stress yourself out or overthink things; just because something isn’t immediately evident doesn’t mean it won’t be.
You can even dedicate some time each day or every few days to practising mindfulness techniques. Breathing exercises are a fantastic place to start and can be found on YouTube or TikTok. I also discovered that listening to music reduced my stress levels, which you might find useful to try.
6. Ask Your Support Network For Advice
Okay, here is one of my most crucial pieces of advice for managing stress and anxiety related to examinations and deadlines: talk to your friends and family!
Don’t isolate yourself if you feel like things are getting too much; your support system, particularly your parents, are the people who can give you the best advice and who know you the best.
Speak up to your roommates about your stress if you get along with them, whether you live in a student apartment or a house-share. Sometimes simply getting it off your chest may be very therapeutic.
Discussing any problems you are having will make you feel better, so don’t hold it in and try to push yourself to go on.
If your friends are in college, they presumably feel the same way you do, so you can encourage one another.
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7. Take Charge Of Your Time
Time management is crucial for your academic workload, as we all know.
I’d suggest writing down the times and days you want to study in a weekly planner.
You’ll be reminded and motivated if you physically note when you’re going to work or what duties you’re going to complete.
I used to schedule my library visits in advance at university so I wouldn’t be able to cancel, and I could then fit them around my classes and seminars.
While I’ve done it before (who hasn’t?) Time management involves avoiding cramming things in at the last minute. It’s not a good idea to put things off and leave yourself with a tonne of work a few days before a deadline.
Instead of trying to complete all of your studying in a finite amount of time, split it up into manageable chunks within your timetable. For example, if you have a lengthy essay to write, write a particular number of words every day over a few weeks.
A study/life balance that works for you should be established because having too much of either might be detrimental. Therefore, be sure to allow time for socialising, relaxing, and doing the things you enjoy doing.
8. Seek Out Assistance
My final piece of advice is to ask for assistance if you’re feeling stressed or overburdened. There is a service called; “take my online exam for me” that provides the best online exam help for students.
There’s a narrow line between feeling a little anxious and becoming emotionally and physically exhausted from the responsibilities of school and exam season. A little stress is normal and can even drive us to push ourselves.
If you’re having trouble with a particular assignment or module, let your professor know. You can also talk to someone on campus about your welfare or your academic issues.
Instead of ignoring your problems, speak up and ask for help from experts.
If you don’t feel comfortable talking to them, you can also chat with other students in your course about your worries; they’ll probably be happy to help you with a particular assignment, portion of an exam, or project.
You’ll likely assist someone with something you know about that they don’t at a later point. Therefore, don’t be concerned about coming out as “dumb” or “a pain.”
I hope I was able to provide you with some useful advice on how to deal with anxiety related to test stress or any other academic problems as I wrap up this blog.
Remind yourself that if you’ve gotten this far in your studies, you must be doing something right; believe in yourself!