Beating exam stress

Knowing how to cope with exam stress, which affects many students during this time of year, is as important as studying itself. In the first of a two-part article, Stephanie Psaila looks at the tips some guidelines suggest in order to curb this debilitating symptom.

Exam stress is most common during this time of the year when students are preparing to sit for their exams. Though some students have already sat for some of their O level and A level subjects, primary and secondary students as well as university students are in the middle of their revisions.

Coping with exam stress plays an important part in the final grade. So it helps to stop and think what are the causes that prevent students from performing well prior to and during an exam. What can a student do to curb stress?

Many students tend to postpone their revision till too late a stage and end up cramming information up to the last minute. Leaving revision till the very end is the perfect recipe for stress, which often leads students to focus on what they don't know instead of what they know. Aware of what paralyses students during this time of the year, many British universities have published leaflets and booklets about how to cope with exams. Some textbooks, especially revision books, often contain similar guidelines. Many of the tips are

"obvious" but students do tend to forget about them during the time they are studying for their exams.

The guidelines issued by the Counselling Service of the University of London suggest that, while one of the most crucial aspects is to organise time well and start a revision programme in good time, people react differently to study plans. When these go wrong, "as they often do", it is usually because they were too rigid and did not leave blank spaces for the unexpected.

When devising a study plan, it is suggested that students make a list of the topics, tasks and goals they should reach - within realistic deadlines - and tick them off as soon as these are achieved.

A mistake many tend to commit is to stop going out and not finding time for relaxing. "Allowing yourself time every week for relaxation, recreation, socialising and rest will help you feel less stressed and make it more likely that you will stick to your timetable. This is not wasting time; it helps you work more effectively."

The guidelines also give importance to organising one's working space which should be free of any distractions. It is recommended that the working space, which should contain all the books and notes, be in a separate area from the relaxing area, which should contain distractions such as the television.

"Get used to working when you are in your work area," the guidelines recommend, "and 'switching off' when you get up from this place. Creating a physical separation of this kind will help you do the same mentally."

Preparing a study plan and a working space is one thing; putting this into practice is another, which requires motivation and concentration. "By the time I reach the beginning of the second sentence my mind would have already wandered off to what I plan doing during the summer recess, or how far away the weekend seems..." is a very common complaint among students.

The guidelines suggest simple strategies that help rekindle motivation, such as planning rewards for when a goal is achieved, starting with easier or more interesting topics, and establishing a work routine, which becomes easier to follow once the student kick-starts.

Students' concentration spans differ, therefore it is important to find a work pattern that reflects this.

"If you are finding it very difficult to concentrate, start off by setting yourself a small, manageable goal. When you have achieved this, give yourself a reward. Keep repeating this goal setting and rewarding yourself. As you achieve your goals, gradually increase what you set out to do. In this way you can train yourself to concentrate more effectively."

Another piece of advice relates to how one studies: revising in an active way, perhaps by jotting down short notes, is an effective method of revising. Testing one's memory and devising questions and answers related to the topic one is studying is also suggested.

On a more general note, the International Stress Management Association of the UK suggests a few tips that may have an important bearing on a student's perspective over exams and the countdown that precedes them. The tips suggest that students should believe in themselves because if they prepare properly for an exam, they should do fine, which renders pre-exam stress baseless.

The guide suggests that students should take positive steps to overcome problems - such as talking to the teacher or lecturer - since "getting stressed out won't help". Finally, confiding in someone supportive whom the student trusts is much better in alleviating stress and worries rather than keeping things bottled up and feeling suppressed.

Next week: How to cope with stress during an exam