With NCEA practice exams coming up early next month, our Head of Guidance Counselling Victoria Stewart offers students some tips on managing stress at exam time.
When it comes to exams, students often ask me for help with their motivation. However, motivation is subject to mood changes, sleep cycles and tends to come and go.
Discipline, good organisation, and a touch of anxiety, on the other hand, are actually the key factors in helping students get through exam time.
At times, students talk about feeling ‘flat and unmotivated’ and say they ‘don’t really care’ about the upcoming exam time. What this often indicates is that they are feeling overwhelmed and their system has shut down in response to this.
A student may not know where to start as the task ahead feels so daunting, so their answer is avoidance, telling themselves they don’t care and finding unhelpful ways to distract themselves.
Acknowledge feelings of stress and anxiety
The best thing you can do is to acknowledge the stress and anxiety you are feeling. It’s okay to feel this way. It’s not something to change, shift or get rid of. Anxiety is the body’s way of getting you into action mode and giving you energy and motivation to do something about it.
Validate how you are feeling
Exam time is important and you care about it. And, when we care about something, it is natural to worry, feel anxious and be a bit stressed about it going well. There is nothing wrong with you for feeling anxious. You are simply being a human, and your brain is doing something very important to give you a helping hand.
Tips on how to prepare for exams
- Set up a planner: Start with a schedule. Insert break times and reward times. Give yourself time to move, interact, and give your brain a break—every hour.
- Take a breath: When feeling overwhelmed, the most important thing is to breathe out as slowly as possible and empty your lungs of air. Do this for a few rounds: breathe in for 4, pause for 4, and breathe out for 6.
- Small tasks, big wins: Then, set yourself a small task. Break down the impossible task into bite-sized chunks. Remember, your anxiety is your superpower for getting you through this!
- Movement is key: Remember to take movement breaks for at least 20 minutes. This stimulates stress-release hormones and calms the nervous system.
- Feed your brain: Remember to eat healthily and regularly. Your brain needs food as it is working hard!
Tips on what to do during the exam
- Tune out comparisons: Block out any comparisons to other people. Try to tune out others’ conversations about how much they did or didn’t study, what they studied, and how anxious they are. Anxiety can feel catchy at times, and comparing yourself to others can feel triggering. If you need to be quiet and keep to yourself beforehand, then do that.
- Repeat a mantra: Give yourself a mantra to repeat if you find your brain is going down a rabbit hole of what you haven’t done. A few ideas:
- “One question at a time, one section at a time.”
- “I have done all I can. In this moment I am safe.”
- “In a few hours this will be over.”
- “This too shall pass. This is a moment in time for me.”
Tips on how to behave after the exam
- Let it go: Try to distract your brain from thinking about it and going over answers you gave or questions. Focus on what you will do to reward yourself that evening.
There is help if you need it.
Talk to a teacher or dean.
Visit the Wellbeing Hub near student reception.
Contact a MAC guidance counsellor.
Monday to Friday during school hours in term time.
E: dept-guidance@mtaspiring.school.nz
T: 03 443 0496
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