LOTUS FM : Exam stress and tips in preparing for the
examinations
by Jimmy Henderson

Exams and stress
• Exams can be a very stressful time, especially for matriculants who are coming to the end of their school careers and know that this examination is crucial for employment or entry into a university or college.
• Many learners lack confidence or feel that they may not be sufficiently prepared for the examination and this can result in exam stress

There are also a number of other factors that can worsen exam stress

• Personal factors : The students abilities and personality
 His /her individual focus, effort and preparedness for the examination
(more prepared = less stress)
 Intellectual or learning problems affecting his/her ability to learn
 Low emotional (stress) tolerance levels can be inherited
 Possible underlying disorders (ADHD)
 Predispositions from family disorders ( anxiety, depression )
 His/her sense of confidence (self-image and self-esteem)

• Parenting and family factors
 An unstable home environment will contribute to learners exam stress- for example, abuse, shouting, fighting, domestic violence and marital conflict
 Other family stress and conditions – death in family, single parent, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse (alcoholism)
 Have the parents addressed the learner’s possible learning problems or need for extra tuition?
 Does the learner have encouragement and emotional support from the family? (parent-learner relationship)
 Do the parents provide only conditional acceptance. In other words, ‘I will only love you if you perform well’.
 Do the parents have reasonable expectations with regard to academic achievement or performance? (Are they not already doing their best?)
 Has the learner been properly assessed and prepared for a suitable career?
(One that suits his/her abilities and personality)
 Sometimes parents impose family traditions relating to choice of career which may not be suitable or possible for the learner to achieve
 In other words is he/she looking forward to next year with respect to his/her study direction or working life?) (Learners could be negative or unhappy about next year and this will contribute to their current exam stress)

• Social and cultural factors
 The quality of community schooling-has the learner been well-prepared for the examination by the school?
 Availability of extra tuition and study groups in the community
 Environmental stressors can contribute to exam stress (high crime, gangsterism)
 Cultural demands and expectations relating to achievement can place additional stress on learner
 Expectations and demands of the type of society where high achievement is valued can also place undue pressure on the learner

• Exam stress may reveal itself in a number of ways:
 Increased irritability
 Sleeping problems
 Headaches and other physical symptoms (weakness, upset stomach)
 Negative feelings and thoughts
• In serious cases, exam stress or feelings of impending failure this could result in moods of depression and a professional may need to be consulted
• According to Prof Schlebusch from the University of KZ Natal, academic-related problems, such as poor school performance or academic failure is one of the main precipitators of suicide in children and adolescents

Tips in coping with exam stress:

Be mentally and physically well prepared
• Use effective study techniques
 Plan your study programme at least 6 -7 weeks before the examination
 Form study groups with other students in the same classes, if possible
 Work systematically using your examination timetable and plan your studying based on the examination dates for each subject.
 Allow at least a week for each subject
 The last day or two before the examination for a particular subject should be reserved for last minute revision on that subject
• Reading though material is not sufficient.
 Make summaries of the work for each subject using schematics in which you place the content into mind-maps or hierarchical block-diagram format, as images are more easily retained in your memory.
 Also use different colours and underline or write key concepts using bold fonts.
 Make a second summary of each subject in which you condense the work into only the main points
 Make a final summary (Cram card) for your final day revision which contains only the main headings and key words for that particular subject.
 Use this one page (or card) for your final cramming
• Diet
 Get sufficient sleep and eat correctly
 Junk food is not helpful during times of stress- eat plenty of vegetables and easily digestible food
 Ask your chemist or health shop for a natural supplement to assist your studying.
 I personally found Rhodiola Rosea, available at Health shops, to be every effective in reducing stress and increasing focus and brain functions
 Do not over-medicate with tranquillizers or other medication. This will only reduce your ability to focus.
• Ways in which parents can assist:
 Allow learners a degree of privacy in which to study
 Encourage them to make use of the library, support groups and the internet
 If there are very real problems with learning problems or school performance, they should be addressed early with the help of the relevant school and/or a professional.
 Provide encouragement and extra tuition if necessary, not judgment.
 Ensure that they do have a study programme in place and are keeping to it.
 Use a reward system: In other words, if they have worked well for a few days they should be given time off for a movie or a few hours at the beach
 Be patient with them as they may be more irritable than usual
 Do not place unreasonable demands on your child
 Provide them with unconditional love and support even if they are not top performers (as long as they are doing their best)
 Read up on teenage anxiety and depression and know how to identify the symptoms and seek professional help if necessary.