Every life situation is an integration of roses and thorns. Education is an enlightening and captivating experience that gives you a degree worth a lifetime. However, there isn’t much discussion about the number of thorns experienced throughout the process.
One of the most famous encouragements for exam candidates is not to stress, do your best and forget the rest. However, it takes a ton of effort to live by this. Nothing prepares you mentally for the stressful ordeal and baggage that comes with the exam season. It is, therefore, vital for friends and family to support students during exams. The following are ways to champion students taking exams.
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Find out what they need
Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches. It is easy to impose your ideas on what you think someone needs. Most times, these imposed impressions need to be revised. To save time and effort, ask the student what they need.
Engaging and finding the best technique to help a student during exams according to their terms is the pre-eminent way of support. Working along with their requests gives the student a feeling of love and value. It also reduces their stress since they will relax knowing you will hold the fort and create a perfect working domain.
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Help them study
Walking in a dark abyss is formidable but having someone holding your hand gives you the courage to strive. Studying alone can be very tedious and frustrating. Mastery of the subjects can be tormenting, and falling victim to forgetting topics read can be stressful.
Having a study partner can elevate the revision process by magnitudes. Create time to work with the student and help them revise. Quiz them on topics they have read to improve their retaining ability. Study groups can also enhance the process, especially among peers or classmates. This allows students to understand and ask questions, reducing stress among them. It also allows them to study for long hours without getting jaded.
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Ensure they go for breaks
According to a study by The Classroom, one of the most common causes of stress during exams is insufficient preparation. Most students are culprits of last-minute preparation and get stressed due to the overwhelming nature of the scope. Downing themselves in books all day long worsens the situation.
One of the most effortless methods of supporting students during exams is pushing them to take breaks. A short walk would do wonders in their study experience. Breaks may also include a short nap. Playing a game or having a phone break for a few minutes would change the study process, allowing them to concentrate more after the break.
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Engage with them
Factors such as external pressure and competition lead to stress among students, especially during exams. Sulking and constant sadness is one of the most common symptoms of students during exams. A slip-up in one paper can escalate anxiety and stress among students, eventually leading to failure of other exams.
Engaging with the students is one way of reducing their gloom-ridden thoughts and the pressure they may encounter. Ask about their day and experience so far through the exam period. Listen to their rants and invigorate them to forget their bygones since nothing can be changed. Offer a shoulder to lean on in the event of a bad day. This goes a long way in making the students feel better and improving their overall performance.
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Have physical activities together
Life is majorly about balance. Revision for your exam can make one forget about essential self-care. During the exam period, a minute wasted feels like an hour. Most students are rendered jailbirds to their books, and that mere stretch becomes endearing. However, working without play makes Jack somber. Stress increases since the students get deluged by their studies, trying to account for every minute.
A study by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America proves that exercise of the mind and body reduces stress. Engaging in physical activities with your friend or family allows the release of endorphins, reducing tension and anxiety among the students.
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Practice mindfulness together
One of the most common challenges among exam candidates is tension and nervousness before the exams. Due to fear of failure, most students have difficulty sitting for exams. It is, however, customary to be nervous before an exam.
If your friend or relative experiences shortness of breath, trembling, or panic attacks, engage them with a mindful exercise. Guide them to mindful breathing exercises that will allow them to calm down. Talking in calm voices around them and holding their hand will enable them to feel safe and quiet in the event of a stressful breakdown. Mindful exercises allow students to subjugate their panic levels and improve their confidence.
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Ensure the student eats well
The way to a happy soul is through the stomach. It is incredible how food transforms you from grumpy to jubilant in minutes. The joy of having a good meal releases hormones that upgrade mood, hence reducing stress levels.
Imagine having to find your favorite dish ready after a frustrating day. This, for most students, would be the purest form of support during the exam season. Surprising your friend or family’s mood through something as simple as a cupcake would have a milestone effect on their mood, consigning to oblivion all stress they may have experienced throughout their day.
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Encourage them
Maya Angelou says that people may forget what you said or did, but they may not forget how you made them feel. The worst feeling is wallowing in your pessimistic sense without a way out. It is tough to drag yourself out of a tunnel you fell in. A hand from someone else saves the day.
Words of affirmation for students taking their exams are one of the best ways to support them. Please make a point to call them and encourage them through that period. Make them aware of how proud you are and how much you’re rooting for them. Enabling them allows them to feel valued, reducing their stress levels since someone believes in them.
Conclusion
Exam periods can be formidable for students and cause significant stress and anxiety. However, with the above steps, students may no longer have to dread exams since their support systems would make a smooth ride.
