How to manage stress for students going into exam season
Everyone gets overwhelmed once in a while. This is especially true in students who are facing academic obstacles. And with more and more students struggling with high levels of stress as they not only catch up on their academic learning, but prepare for the first ‘normal’ exam season since the beginning of the pandemic, their wellbeing is vital towards ensuring they enjoy a successful experience.
With Stress Awareness Month well underway, now is a great time for students to reflect and consider how they can manage their emotions and stress levels as exam season nears closer. Exam season can be an anxious time, with many students under a high amount of pressure to perform well and get high grades. And with this period of their lives being an important stage of their emotional development, it is important that they are provided with every resource to manage their emotions effectively.
Of course, it is difficult to always have students under supervision, so entrusting them with autonomy and providing them with the necessary tools to maximise their studying will alleviate many of the pressures felt that ultimately leads to stress. Here, global in-home and online tutoring company, Tutor Doctor, gives advice on how students can manage stress in the lead-up to exam season.
Stay active
Taking part in sports or being active every day is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Not only does exercise help your body produce endorphins, which make you feel good, it also often helps clear your head of negative or stressful thoughts and can make you feel much calmer and rational.
Balance downtime and study time
Students are always ‘on the go’ and may not take time out to recharge, which can quickly lead to burnout. Instead, make sure you have some ‘me time’ every day, whether it is 15 minutes or an hour. Do something that makes you happy and feel good - this might be taking a hot shower, baking, reading, gaming, having a workout or doing some adult colouring.
Maintain a good diet
Even though many students and adults do not realise this, diet plays a crucial role when it comes to stress. In fact, improving what you eat can keep you from experiencing diet-related mood swings and light-headedness, and it can start building up your immune system.
Listen to music
Listening to music has been shown to have many cognitive benefits. Not only can it help you feel calmer and relieve stress, it can also put you in a better frame of mind. So if you’re having a particularly bad day, pop on some headphones and listen to your favourite playlist.
Stay positive!
To start adopting a more optimistic attitude, we recommend always trying to look for the positives in life, using affirmations for positive self-belief and motivation and taking time out of each day to notice the things you’re grateful for.
Get organised
Take the time to declutter and make your living area a more minimalistic and calming space, free of distractions. This more organised space will help lower stress levels, save time in finding lost items, and also help students have a more positive mindset.
Becky Ward, the Education Experience Specialist at in-home and online tutoring company, Tutor Doctor, believes now is a great time for students to reset and approach their studies with a revitalised approach in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed by external pressure.
“COVID was an incredibly difficult time for students facing exams all over the world,” explained Becky. “But, as with all things, it’s vital that they take the positives forward in their learning and use this as an opportunity to tackle their education head-on in order for them not only to catch up, but to have the most rewarding experiences possible. Stress can show up in all sorts of ways, but knowing how to identify it early on and taking the necessary action to manage it is not only useful while at school, but is a life lesson students will take with them far beyond their education.”
For more information, please visit www.tutordoctor.co.uk/