The exam phase or the next oral exam is coming up and the thought of it makes you totally nervous? Exam stress is part of everyday university life for many students. We’ll tell you what the symptoms and causes are, how you can deal with exam stress and how to avoid it.
The symptoms of exam stress
When the next exam or oral exam is due, do you imagine the worst, are you restless and have palpitations? You can’t sleep days before your exams and when you’re sitting in front of your exam, do you suddenly feel like you’re blacked out? These are typical symptoms of exam stress. However, these come about when you find yourself in an extremely stressful situation due to the high study volume and the resulting fearful thoughts. You might have taken some help from GAMSAT tutor; if you want a GAMSAT tutoring to help you out, click here. We’ll give you tips on how to deal with exam stress and how to avoid it.
Overview of psychological counseling
- 104 of the 138 student unions in the US have a psychological counseling center.
- In 2013, 27,000 students sought help there in one-on-one discussions, and 4,000 students also took advantage of the group offers.
- A total of over 97,000 consultations were held.
- The most common problems are feelings of exhaustion and being overwhelmed, psychosomatic complaints, fears and learning and performance disorders.
- Their occurrence is distributed constant over all phases of the study and is observed in approximately equal proportions in male and female students.
The causes of exam stress
You are probably wondering where this queasy feeling before the exams and exams comes from. Exam stress can have many causes. Most of the time, it’s because of the pressure you put on yourself before an exam. You don’t want to fail or you are afraid of having to retake the exam. In the worst case, you even fear that you will have to drop out of your studies. These causes can also trigger exam stress:
- Your social circle can put additional pressure on you. For example, if your parents financed your studies for years and you finally want to finish your studies.
- You have received scholarship and are afraid of revoke/repayment.
- Some of your friends are more advanced in their studies than you or have completed an apprenticeship and you don’t want them to think badly of you.
- If you constantly compare yourself to others or set yourself too high expectations, this will also stress you.
Avoid exam stress
There are methods you can use to avoid exam stress in the first place. In addition to a good study plan, it is also important to prepare well for your exam so that you don’t even think about whether you might not pass the exam. You can avoid exam stress with these tips:
- Put regular learning breaks in order to relax. You can do sports, listen to music, take a walk, or pursue your hobbies. Regular study breaks reduce the stress level and ensure that you can relax better.
- Create a study plan and write down which times of the day you work on which topics.
- Join and learn together with other students. This way you can better motivate yourself to learn and help each other.
- Set your own priorities and think about which material is most relevant for the upcoming exam or for the upcoming exam.
- You should repeat the exam material regularly.
- It will also help if you present what you have learned to a friend. So you can internalize it better.
- Do something good for yourself in your learning phase and take a hot bath after a long day of learning.
- A good preparation is important to avoid unnecessary exam stress. It is best to start learning as early as possible!
Dealing with exam stress
But sometimes even the best relaxation and the best preparation are of no use and the stress comes anyway. But even if the stress of the exam has seized you and you are really afraid of your next exam or exam, there are methods that will help you to get the stress under control. In addition to having a positive mindset, it also helps if you can relax. Here are a few tips on how to cope with the exam stress:
- Face your exam anxiety and get help from your university’s psychological counseling center. There you can get advice during an initial conversation and, if necessary, get further help.
- Think positively and set yourself clear and achievable goals. You shouldn’t put pressure on yourself to convince yourself that you won’t take the exam.
- Do regular relaxation exercises, such as breathing exercises, which can help calm you down before your exam. Other relaxation methods are yoga, meditation or progressive muscle relaxation.
- Create a pleasant learning atmosphere and let people know that you have a lot to learn. That way, you’ll keep the environment calm and let others know not to bother you.
Tips against exam stress at a glance:
- Take regular breaks from study to relax.
- Repeat the study material regularly.
- Share what you’ve learned in front of your friends to internalize them.
- Start learning as early as possible: Good preparation is everything!
- Create a study plan.
- Set priorities and consider
- which learning material is most relevant.
- Find a study group and learn together with others.
How does a consultation work?
Before the first interview, the students fill out a questionnaire with 25 points. This gives us an impression of the problems and their extent. In a 50-minute initial discussion, we then go into this and try to find initial solutions. When we reach our limits, we also refer to our network of therapists.
What problems do the students have when they come to the psychological counseling center?
The range is wide. It is often about university problems such as exam anxiety or major doubts about the choice of study. But it is also about problems in the partnership or the family. Mourning is also an issue again and again. In addition, about 20 percent of all inquiries are based on a serious mental disorder.
What prevention options are there for students?
It is important that you learn right from the start of your studies to use your time properly and to find a healthy balance between studies and leisure time. A circle of friends at the university and study groups are also important pillars in everyday life.
How much overcoming does it cost the student to visit the counseling center?
Fortunately, the inhibitions to seek help have decreased. This is due on the one hand to the increased social acceptance of psychological support, on the other hand to low-threshold offers such as initial contact by email or open consultation hours.
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