AVOID USE OF PLASTICS (Polythin)to serve the nation
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Stop Ignition while you are near the signals!
Exam Stress
Stress is natural part of being human. It's your body
responding to changes in the world around you. It changes how your body works
and puts your mind into different moods. When you're getting stressed about an exam
- it just means that you really care about the result you will get. That can be
a good thing if it pushes you into working extra hard as you try to get a good
result. But it can be bad if you get too worried and the effects of the stress
stop you doing well. When exams get too much, the stress can show in your body.
How to spot if you're stressed
You could be showing signs of stress if you're:
- suffer
from stomach upsets
- more
likely to get colds and 'flu
Developing a positive mindset
Its human nature to be negative sometimes, but developing a
positive mental attitude will help you do your best.
- Picture
yourself getting a big fat A and visualize this over and over in vivid
detail. If you maintain a positive, 'I can do it' attitude building up to
your exams, your stress will be transformed into positive energy that can
be harnessed to enhance your performance.
- View the exam as a time-bound project of 90 days. Look
forward to the fun and challenge in store on completion.
- It’s
only an exam! You’re not going to die. Your family will not get kidnapped
and tortured if you fail. And there’s always the resit!
- An
exam is simply an opportunity to show what you know.
- Exams
are designed to HELP you, and provide your tutors/teachers with
feedback so they can help you further.
- You
will be just the same person before and after the exam. Exams don’t
measure anything really important about you.
- You
have had a number of successes already and have actually passed many exams
- hold on to that. Focus on the positive aspects of the past rather than
the negative ones, as this will spur you on to yet more successes.
Stopping negative thoughts
Thought-stopping technique
When we become anxious we begin to have negative thoughts
('I can't answer anything', 'I'm going to panic' etc). If this is happening,
halt the spiraling thoughts by mentally shouting 'STOP!'. Or picture a road
STOP sign, or traffic lights on red. Once you have literally stopped the
thoughts, you can continue planning, or practice a relaxation technique.
Derived from meditation, a mantra is a word or phrase which
you repeat to yourself. Saying something like 'Aum' or 'relax' under your
breath or in your head, over and over again can help defuse anxiety.
Looking out of the window, noticing the number of people
with red hair, counting the number of desks in each row... all help to distract
your attention from anxious thoughts and keep your mind busy. Mental games such
as making words out of another word or title, using alphabetical lists etc are
all good forms of distraction.
It can help to carry or wear something with positive
associations with another person or place. Touching this bridging object can be
comforting in its own right, then allow yourself a few minutes to think about
the person or situation which makes you feel good. This can have a really
calming effect.
In exam anxiety or panic we often give ourselves negative
messages, 'I can't do this' 'I'm going to fail' 'I'm useless'. Try to
consciously replace these with positive, encouraging thoughts: 'This is just
anxiety, it can't harm me', 'Relax, concentrate, it's going to be OK', 'I'm
getting there, nearly over'.
A good way to minimize the amount of stress that you are
feeling is to create a revision timetable. This way you can be make sure that
you have plenty of time to revise all the subjects that you need to do. Having
a revision timetable will also give you the chance to build in rest breaks and
time to spend relaxing. This will help you to stay calmer. If you find yourself
sitting and getting more and more stressed you need to take a break. Go for a
walk or take an hour to watch some television do something to take your mind
off your stress.