As we approach the end of another academic year for students at both the high school and college level it may prove useful to reflect on strategies that can help them get through the exam period with minimal stress and strain. Psychology offers a variety of useful tips to help students avoid freaking out during exam week. After giving college final exams for 3 decades my top 3 exam time coping tips include the following:
1. Take care of your body. Too often basic health care goes down the tubes during exam periods. Lack of sleep and exercise, poor eating habits, abuse of stimulants from caffeine to prescription drugs all take their toll. So often during these past 30 years that I’ve been giving final exams I’m amazed that so many students look like they have been in a train wreak as they go through exam week. While it is tempting to do otherwise, it really is critical to health and performance to attend to exercise, sleep, and eating needs in a thoughtful healthy way. Easier said than done I know for most students but abusing their bodies serves no useful purpose and likely negatively impacts performance. Exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy food help ensure that their bodies and minds are working on all cylinders during exam week. If you know anything about systems and dysregulation theory you know that once you let your body get out of whack you'll pay for it in many expected and unexpected ways. Staying balanced in body, mind, and soul is so very critical!
2.Keep things in perspective. Students too often have the point of view that unless they perform at their very highest level their life goals and plans are in severe jeopardy. Frequently you’ll hear comments that make it seem like their life depends on a particular grade in a class. I can remember one student who dropped a class with me because they were worried that they were going to get a "B+" rather than an "A." Reality tends to contradict this view. Typically students put too much emphasis on a grade when in reality it may not matter much in the long term. After all, how often are life and death or even career and job decisions made based on a GPA alone? How often does GPA matter once students are out of school? Sure, students want to do well but they lose all perspective when they get so grade focused.
Additionally, research in my research lab has found that when students do community based learning activities, immersion trips, volunteerism, and the like with those who struggle with few resources, students not only cope better with their own stress but also have a better perspective about their lives and the lives of others too. Engaging in volunteer work likely helps to keep one’s perspective in a balanced and healthy manner. Even only 2 hours a week has both mental and physical health benefits.
3. Relax right before an exam. Cramming doesn’t work very well and perhaps at best only binds anxiety. I’m amazed that moments before an exam so many students are trying to cram in last minute studying efforts. Do they really think that spending the final few minutes before an exam is really going to make a significant difference in their performance? All last minute cramming does, as far as I can tell, is bind anxiety and might give the student the belief that this frantic last minute behavior might help them do better on the exam. Perhaps it is a bit of an academic placebo. I encourage students to take a walk, meditate, pray, or do something else that clears the head, organizes and centers them, and is relaxing in the hour or so before an exam.
End of academic year exams and papers doesn’t have to be a highly stressful period for students. Thoughtful planning, attending to their bodies, keeping things in perspective, and finding relaxation strategies all can make exam week no big deal. I think if students follow these 3 tips they'll feel and do better when it comes to exam time.
So, what do you think?
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Copyright 2013 Thomas G. Plante, PhD., ABPP