In an increasingly competitive world, young people writing exams are arguably under more pressure than ever before, knowing that their results need to give them an advantage when applying for higher education or employment. Unfortunately, this means that they are also exposed to increasingly higher levels of stress – stress that can, if not managed properly, become debilitating and even affect their performance.
Dr Gillian Mooney, Teaching and Learning Manager at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education provider, says it is therefore vital for parents and other caregivers to monitor the mental wellbeing of learners and students in addition to their preparation, as there are a number of ways that stress can be manipulated to improve performance rather than allowing it to be an unnecessary hurdle.
“At this time of year, it is not unusual for young people to experience peak levels of stress because of the nearing exams,” she says, adding that “it is important to remember that stress can both be motivating and managed”.
Mooney, who has also spent more than a decade and a half as a Psychology lecturer, says adults should understand that stress is subjective, and that what is stressful for one person, may not be stressful for another.
“Stress is your body’s physical reaction to certain situations. Your body has a biological response – that is chemicals and hormones are released – in order to help you cope with a stressful stimulus. As a result, stress can affect your physical health, your mental health and your behaviour.”
She says while some stress is healthy in the short term, and can help one be more productive and motivated, negative stress will cause ‘distress’, leading to feelings of anger, irritability and fear.
“Negative stress may also cause physical symptoms such as a headache or stomach cramps. Exam anxiety is a kind of stress that involves excessive worrying about exams, the fear of being evaluated, and, of the consequences of exams. Exam anxiety is experienced by many students and is not mysterious or difficult to understand.”
Mooney says this type of stress can be easily managed if a student takes heed of the following ten tips:
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