Coping with exam stress
Kwatsaduza – It is that time of the year where learners and students are preparing to sit and write their exams, to assess their progress made in the first half of the year.
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But more often than not, for some young people they find this to be a very stressful time with various factors adding to the anxiety.
Dr Gillian Mooney, the teaching and learning manager at The Independent Institute of Education, shares that it’s not uncommon for learners to experience high stress levels during this period.
She advises adults to understand that this is because what is stressful for one may not be the same for another person.
Mooney shares 10 tips that she believes can assist learners cope during this trying time.
“Believe in yourself and the work you have done consistently from the beginning of the year. Don’t try to be perfect; instead have realistic goals. Don’t keep things bottled up inside, rather confide in someone and keep things in perspective.
“Be proactive in tackling your problems. For example, if you work on something you don’t understand ask for help. Get accurate information on your exam dates and times. Structure your study time and include resting periods in between, plan for the exam, try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid things that will not help you,” she says.
Mooney urges parents and caregivers to look out for any possible signs of stress in their children, to ensure that they look for signs of distress in learners or students at all times and to show them support so that the children can perform to the best of their ability.