How to manage exam-related stress and master your exams

Your strategy, mindset, and capacity to concentrate on what you can control are all factors, according to an educational psychologist.

Hestie Byles, the University of Pretoria’s Manager of Academic Advising and Educational Psychologist, and Gugs Mhlungu were speaking.

Without a doubt, there is no such thing as right or wrong. There is n’t a universally effective study strategy.

Educational psychologist Hestie Byles

Exam season is quickly approaching, and stress and anxiety are frequently present.

Biles recently published a piece on controlling exam stress.

It all comes down to “approach, mindset, and the capacity to focus on what you can control,” according to her.

Here are Biles ‘ methods for managing exam-related stress and helping you master your exams:

Preparation

• You have control over your study schedule, the tools you employ, and the time you devote to it.

• Establish and adhere to a study schedule that fits your learning style.

• Set up your study space and materials.

The fundamentals of exams are preparation, which is one of the ways to manage stress. The decisions you make will determine how less stressful your exams are for you.

Educational psychologist Hestie Byles

Mindset

• Develop a growth mindset that values perseverance and hard work.

Recognize that failures and setbacks present chances for development and growth.

If someone is willing to put in the effort, they can improve at anything.

• You can approach exams with confidence and tenacity by concentrating on your capacity to learn and adapt.

Managing stress

• Engage in stress-reduction activities like exercise, meditation, and deep breathing.

• Establish a distraction-free study environment that is conducive.

While studying, turn off your phone.

For managing stress and maintaining focus, it’s also important to take breaks and get enough sleep. Both of these things are also within your control.

We must realize that stress is a natural process that gives us our human nature, our edge, and the tiny bit of endorphins we need to function. We require some stress.

Educational psychologist Hestie Byles

Perspective

To empower yourself to be the best version of whatever career person you see yourself as, shift your focus from a narrow focus on grades to broader views of education as an educational journey of personal development and knowledge acquisition.

Grades are significant, but they do n’t determine your worth or potential.

You can lessen the anxiety brought on by exams by valuing the learning process itself.

Adaptability

Exams can be unpredictable, but you have control over how you respond to changing conditions.

Keep your cool, take a deep breath, and then put the knowledge and skills you’ve learned throughout your studies to use by incorporating various study techniques if you run into an unexpected question or question format.

Biles also offers parents some guidance…

Parents, be sure to support them and give them the time they need to study, but do n’t put them under too much pressure.

Educational psychologist Hestie Byles

To hear the entire conversation, scroll up.