Mental wellness and dealing with the pressure of exams

By Bongani Khumalo

The exam season is upon us, and it comes with its own pressures. At this time of the year, a lot is at stake for examination candidates who have to prove that a significant number of years spent in school has been worthwhile.

This is a time when many feel that every answer script will either make or break their futures, and with every exam paper being handed in, they are taking decisive action on their very near future and the course of life it will take.

This pressure of exams often comes will a little more than what many students can bear, the burnouts, the sleepless nights, the fatigues, sometimes it can get quite a lot, and some learners will feel that at some point they are unable to handle any more pressure than what they are already dealing with.

The examination season unfortunately, often presents wellness and mental health challenges to many people as they struggle to keep up with studying, worrying about the outcome of the examinations and being nervous about whether what they are reading is in line with the surprise they will get when the invigilator finally lays the question paper on their desks.

One good way to start dealing with this pressure is to assure yourself that you have done your best, and to try by all means to resist getting into a panic mode, because all it will do is eat away at your precious time you could be using to study more, or to rest after studying o beast mode.

Assure yourself that no matter the outcome of the exam, you have done your best, and while you and everyone else around you hopefully is expecting the best of results, it is ok to live a little room for disappointment, to mentally prepare yourself that if things do not go your way for the first time, you are prepared to try again until you succeed.

That way, the fear of failure will not be your portion as you will be viewing all types of unsuccessful first attempts as learning curves filled with many life lessons that will guide how you better prepare yourself for a second attempt. This should not limit you from putting all your effort into acing it the first time though. There’s joy in that, and the good thing about it is that you do not get to encounter delays as you inch closer to your future, and your dreams.

If you are one of those people with a vison board, look at it often during the exam period. It will help you focus and remind you that what you are going through is a necessary process in your journey of becoming exactly who you are destined to be. Aside from your revision board, ensure that you have enough time planned for revision, and also for taking breaks.

The first step on any exam revision journey is to make a plan for how you’ll tackle it. Figure out how much time you have until each exam and how much of that you can dedicate to each subject. Break it down as much as you can, topic by topic.

While this might sound like a lot of work, it’s worth it. One of the most overwhelming things about revising for exams is that feeling of sitting in front of your computer or a pile of books and not having any idea where to start, or if you even have time to get it all done.

A clear plan of when you’ll cover each subject – complete with check-in points for practice exams – can help you avoid this, and make you feel more confident throughout the revision process. Exam season is much less difficult when you’ve got a group of people around you for support. Not only can a study group keep you motivated, but they can help you take breaks when you need to, calm you down when you’re feeling stressed, and be there to tell you if they think you’re not looking after yourself.

Another important factor during this time is your diet. If you are studying, never neglect yourself. Takesome breaks even if you are in the zone and feeling very much energetic. A break helps your mind to relax a bit, so that by the time you get back to your grind, you internalize whatever it is you are studying, be it mathematics, history, accounting, geography, chemistry, ndebele or literature.

Make sure that between your breaks, you eat wholesome foods and healthy snacks. It’s ok to have a snack treat here and there which doesn’t exactly fall into the healthy category, but it should not be a habit. Snacks with a lot of sugar may give you a high energy sugar boost that gave you some mojo however this does not usually last long, and you may feel fatigued sooner when that sugar is out of your system.

Therefore, consistent, healthy snacking is the best. While you are snacking, surround yourself with supportive people. It could be your friends; study mates your family. Try to avoid negative people who may doubt your abilities. Should negative people be unavoidable, such as some nasty family members, try to ignore all the not so positive things they have to say and keep your eyes on the goal.

When the day of a particular exam that you have been studying for finally comes, it is important to stock typo your usual morning routine, so that you are at your best emotional and mental state. If you love to exercise, some very light exercise even just for five minutes may help you to calm your spirit, however, do not overdo it as you cannot afford any injury or muscle tears at this time. You really do not need the aches of painful muscles.

The final minutes before you start an exam can be some of the most nerve-wrecking, and it’s time that’s best spent calming yourself and getting ready to focus. If someone nearby is stressing you out, move away from them or let them know that they’re stressing you out. The same goes for after exams, too. Once you leave the exam hall, there’s nothing more you can do, so don’t spend time dissecting each answer with your classmates. Have some well-earned rest instead.

After resting, start preparing for your next paper, take rests and naps even, in-between, and remember to always keep your eyes on your goals.

You’ve got this!