At the beginning of June, we are entering the period of exams: partial, baccalaureate, college diploma… Whatever your level of studies, these exams generate stress. What are the tips for better managing stress and performing well on D-Day?
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Stomach ache, loss of appetite, panic, sweaty palms… stress is here. But can we avoid it? Feeling anxious about an exam is nothing abnormal. the stress is a normal reaction of the organism in a situation where it feels threatened. It does not only have drawbacks: it puts you in a state of alert which will boost your performance. But when the stress is too much, it can make you lose your means, especially during an oral exam. Here are some tips for taming it.
The first advice is obviously to prepare well for an exam: the better you know the subject on which you will be questioned, the more you will feel ready! This requires planning your revisions well. Do not remain alone confronted with your anxietiesdiscuss it with your relatives, your classmates or students who follow the same course as you.
Avoid procrastinating
Procrastination means putting off what you can do today. Rest assured, it is not a disease and it is quite possible to control this behavior: by exam session, it is common to panic at the very idea of being overwhelmed or, on the contrary, to think that we “still” have time: a fatal mistake that hides the same stress. This is why setting a framework with concrete objectives becomes reassuring and more productive because it avoids “circling” or… in a vacuum.
To avoid the procrastination During the exam period, an action plan must be drawn up:
- analyze your environment, assess potential sources of distraction (music, smart phone…);
- create favorable conditions for concentration;
- work at fixed hours; establish a retro-planning;
- set daily or half-day goals;
- draw up lists of lessons to revise, starting with the oldest lessons;
- study difficult subjects preferably in the morning;
- alternate subjects;
- develop relaxation breaks every 50 minutes during which to have fun.
Relaxation, sport and nutrition
To be in good shape on the day of the exam, it is important to sleep well. Also, the day before, you can take chamomile tea to help you find the sleep ! A small american study showed that chamomile extracts have a beneficial effect in people suffering fromanxiety. If you are very anxious as exams approach, ask your pharmacist for advice, who may be able to direct you to supplements. For example, a study published in 2017 suggests that magnesium helps limit vulnerability to stress.
On D-day, you can do some abdominal breathing exercises or mindfulness meditation to calm you down. L’physical exercise is also a good way to eliminate stress. If your exam is in the afternoon, why not go for a morning jog or bike ride? From mouse work have shown that physical exercise stimulates the release of Gabawhich acts on the brain to reduce anxiety.
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