Whether at school or university, taking a test for your learner’s license or as part of a job application, we all have to write tests at some point. For some people, tests and exams are not that worrying, but for many of us, exams are very stressful.
Stress is not always bad though. It can give you a rush of adrenaline which motivates you to focus and study hard. But there is a fine line: too much stress does the opposite and causes you to get anxious and tense, and often you start panicking and struggle to concentrate.
Stress can affect the quality of your sleep, your appetite, and your ability to handle everyday tasks.
If you go through periods of prolonged and extreme stress, this can also lead to more serious mental health problems, like depression or anxiety.
Although you can’t avoid the tests and exams that cause you to feel stress, there are a number of things you can do to help yourself remain calm and to handle those negative feelings in a healthy way:
Remember: failing isn’t the end of the world. It’s disappointing, it’s frustrating, and your parents or teachers may be upset. But at the end of the day, it’s only an exam. You can always re-take the exam or test. Your wellbeing comes before anything else.