How to Overcome Exam Stress for Better Mental Health

The year was 2002 - the second year of a new millennium.

Time: 2 pm

A 13-year-old Rayo furiously strutted around the tennis courts of the YMCA in Kolkata. Why? Was he playing tennis? NO!

It was the exam pressure of the Grade three Piano practical exam - that he had to take. He had also done this umpteen times before. But there was only one issue. Stress.

15 minutes before the exam - we’re all in the waiting room, and I, unable to sit in one place, am roaming around tennis courts like Vodafone’s pug because of my restlessness (blame the undiagnosed ADHD).

They call my name. I enter the room, and my heart is pounding in my chest. The examiner beckons me forward and asks me to sit on the piano and do my thing.

“Suddenly, my palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy,

The keyboard starts swimming and becoming blurry.

I play a wrong note and take a sharp breath, which catches in my throat.

“Okay, never mind, you can go again,” says the examiner, encouraging me to play and ignore the error.

Suddenly I remember -

“You better lose yourself in the music The moment you own it, you better never let it go.”

Taking a leaf out of Eminem’s book, I regain composure. Slowly but surely, the keyboard becomes clear, and the clammy hands go away. I start playing what I am meant to. The rest of the exam goes by in a breeze, and I exit the hall a happy 13-year-old.

There is a lot of buzz around us about exam stress. It has long been the bane of education, and we hear students complaining about stress, but what really is it, and how can we combat it?

Fear of failure

This is a legitimate concern. The fear of failure looms large over our heads, and that is why we get exam stress. The fear of failure is very real because it comes with two tenets - the fear of failing alone and the fear of rejection by our parents if we don’t pass. It can result in test anxiety, procrastination or avoiding certain subjects or assignments.

While failure is an invaluable experience, you have to be compassionate to yourself - you are trying your best, and that is enough. Practise past papers and set goals for your preparation. Most importantly, find a mentor or talk to someone so that they can remind you that failure is temporary.

Lack of preparation

What does the lack of preparation mean? It means you’ll fail. Simple. Gather and analyse your situation so you can take steps. Prepare properly for the exam. If you find the whole syllabus intimidating, then you can try breaking it down into smaller bite-sized chunks. Sometimes, students are ill-prepared because the material they have to study is beyond them.

If that is the case, just give the exam anyway. What’s the worst that can happen? You don’t pass. What if you don’t pass? Will your parents accept you? Will they reject you or throw you out of the house? Well, none of that, because parents too, at the end of the day, know that this is just an exam.

Bad past experiences with exam

If you have had negative past experiences with exams, that might cause undue stress. If you have given an exam without preparation and failed, that will loom at the back of your mind, preventing you from doing well in the current exam. If that is the case, remember that it is just an exam. The one that you gave and the one that you will be giving. Don’t give it more importance than is required. It is common to feel lost, scared and on edge after a bad exam. Don’t let it affect the next one.

Make sure your preparation is top-notch so no stone is left unturned. Sometimes, students take one bad exam, and that leaves them so scared that they don’t want to take further exams. Speaking to a therapist about an unsuccessful exam can help you brush that experience out of your mind. Therapy can be extremely rewarding - as in, you might get help in forgetting that bad experience of an exam, or at least put it at the back of your mind.

Coping mechanisms

If you want an effective method of coping with exam stress - be prepared. Sometimes, students just are not able to prepare adequately. Some tragedy in the family or some personal problem. It could just be that the student is finding the material challenging and is not able to cope with the syllabus/requirements. In this case, coping techniques to relieve anxiety come into play.

You can try to dispel negative thoughts by taking deep breaths. Try dabbling in some yoga or try listening to relaxing music to relieve test stress. One other coping technique is more holistic in its approach - students must try to excel at the test, but they should avoid chasing perfection. Chasing perfection comes with its fair share of problems - and you don’t want to deal with them.

Perceived importance of exams

This is one major issue, but it is always overlooked. Blame our academic-centric culture or whatever, but exams are allocated a huge amount of importance. Why are they so important? Can’t students be told that it is “just an exam”? Having said that, the parents and the school administration are to blame. They are the ones who place undue pressure on the students to perform. They are the ones who hype up the exam, so once the actual exam date comes, the student is a bundle of nerves.

Granted, exams have a number of benefits, like building confidence, promoting healthy competition, stimulating learning and developing self-analysis skills. Exams teach students the art of time management and prepare them for future challenges in their collegiate or professional lives. But they shouldn’t be accorded so much importance. In fact, students must be told that it is nothing more than a routine test of their abilities, not their confidence.

Ineffective time management

Time management in an organised manner is not just vital during exams but throughout your life. Effective time management means maintaining a sustainable pace in finishing your coursework, leaving time for revision, incorporating extra-curricular activities and generally being in charge of your workload.

Try starting your day early - wake up early so you can execute your plans properly. Early morning is the best time to study because your mind is rested and your body is energised. Finish simple tasks first, especially if stress is debilitating you. However, understand the importance of task prioritisation, especially when it comes to crunch time. If you’re playing Fortnite at 2 am, you might experience some exam stress.

Here are some tips to reduce test anxiety or some exam stress relief techniques.

Danger is real, fear is a choice

Remember - danger is real, but fear is a choice. Being scared is a conscious choice that you make. Dispel it because there’s nothing that can stop you from doing your best. Cope with exam pressure in a healthy manner.

Sleep, silly

Don’t pull an all-nighter before the day. It’s a dumb idea. According to science, sound sleep is required for optimal cognitive function. Go to sleep early before your exam. A tired mind was nobody’s friend. Get better sleep for exam preparation so you can perform better.

Prepare a schedule

More than preparing a schedule, stick to it. Create a schedule so you can dedicate time to coursework as well as relaxation because both are important. Study for an hour and then go for a walk in the park. Possible? 100%.

Meditate, don’t medicate

An immersive session of meditation or some physical activity are great stressbusters. And stay away from drugs/alcohol trying to self-medicate. Try some mindfulness exercises or breathing exercises to reduce stress.

Stay away from junk food

No, that pizza on the eve of your exam might seem like a bright idea, but it isn’t low-protein food that induces lethargy in the body that will help you. Try eating some fresh fruits and vegetables. Try drinking some milk. Such food will strengthen your immunity and sharpen your mind.

Go for Therapy
Speak to someone regarding your stress. Therapy will help you manage your stress better. What’s stopping you? The stigma around therapy really shouldn’t. This is one of the most important mental health tips for students.

Play games

It is important that you play a sport or do something physical that makes the blood in your body flow and loosens your muscles. Doing so will help you combat the dread that is exam stress.

In conclusion, exam stress is real! But there’s nothing you can’t do to keep yourself in the clear. Don’t be bothered by exam stress because at the end of the day, stress helped no one. It’s important to remember how to stay positive during exams. Remember that you’re just taking an exam. While it is an important part of your life, it shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all of your life. In fact, it is a tiny part of your life. Go give that exam and knock it out of the park. Because God knows that stress wasn’t supposed to impact you anyways. So don’t stress, and knock it out of the park when the time comes!