write a letter to the editor on the topic"Exam stress"
Answers
Fit and fine
"Always have a balanced, nutritious diet and avoid junk food before and during exams. Students can have glucose to relieve stress," suggests nutritionist Bhaswati Chatterjee of Balananda Brahmachari Hospital and Research Centre in Behala, Calcutta. "Fresh fruits, vegetables and plenty of fluid help you keep fit and promote concentration." And if you have been planning to skip your daily exercise (or meals!!), to make time for studies, be forewarned - that will increase your stress, not decrease it. When one is already stressed about the coming exams, it is a nightmare to fall ill. Staying healthy is imperative. So try to steer clear of anxiety.
Take a break
Don't study for long periods of time - break your time into smaller segments and take a break between each of them. It rejuvenates you and helps you to concentrate. Go for a stroll to get some fresh air, listen to music, sit on the veranda or chat with friends -these small intervals of relaxation help calm your nerves. "What I do is cook and eat to keep myself content and happy before exams," says Firdousi Parvez, a student at Savitribai Phule Pune University. Some people unfortunately feel more stressed after relaxing for a few hours. This stress is in a way positive as the guilt of wasting time translates into fruitful studying.
Manage your time
Gopinath Chattopadhyay, a student at the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, notes, "The pressure of examinations, worrying over grades, peer pressure and the heavy syllabus are stressful." Studying consistently and being updated about each class relieves some stress. Sticking to a structured routine can help to give equal importance to each paper. Solving sample papers and taking mock tests gives one confidence about the chapters studied. "It is important to set your goals and take on the responsibility of achieving them. Set up a schedule and allot a reasonable amount of time to each subject. Whenever you don't feel motivated about a subject, group study helps a lot," says Chattopadhyay, who had ranked first in biological sciences in the Joint Admission Test for MSc (JAM), 2015.
Sleep well
"To beat the exam blues, I tell my students to sleep well. Sacrificing sleep rarely helps in coping with the stress that builds up during intense study sessions," says Dr Arnab Gupta, Ramanujan fellow and a member of the faculty of SN Pradhan Centre for Neurosciences, University of Calcutta. Sleep has been shown to be a potent brain detoxifier. Sleep also plays a role in the consolidation of memory. Research suggests that a sleep-deprived person cannot focus attention optimally and therefore cannot learn efficiently. Start your day with a positive mindset and you will realise that your concentration has improved. Staying awake and being at house arrest for hours at a stretch build up fatigue. This stress might have repercussions during the exam. But don't be shy. Ask for help from seniors, get your doubts cleared by teachers. Being confident, optimistic and even cracking jokes brings out the best in you.
Work hard
"To lead a successful life, you do what your heart wants and to achieve your goals, work hard," says Goutam Mukherjee, junior research fellow, department of microbiology, University of Calcutta. Even after studying and revising, it is normal to be stressed. Do not pay much heed to the tension and focus on the portions that need additional attention. Studying the portions one keeps forgetting repeatedly can be advantageous. Trying to set realistic targets and working towards fulfilling them bring the joy of small triumphs and reaffirms one's belief in one's self.
Do not compare
Clinical psychologist Dr Anindita Chatterjee recommends that parents and students communicate well. "Parents act as a major relief factor. They should lower their expectations. Comparisons by teachers and parents should be stopped," says the director of Julien Day New Mission School and coordinator at Peerless Hospital child guidance clinic. Don't get jittery when your friend says she has already completed the syllabus or when a classmate criticises your style of revision. "Do not discuss preparations with batchmates and try to avoid peer rivalry as it increases anxiety manifold," says Dr Prateep Kumar Sen, a consultant physician and cardiologist.
Answer:
Realized there is one subject every student learns, regardless of his or her major: stress. It can be helpful — stress is a natural way our brain communicates with the body to restore balance. Other times, stress can be so overwhelming it gets classified with a clinical name. Mental health issues in college students are on the rise, with anxiety and depression being the most common.
With technological advancements, we are the most connected, fast-paced and busy generation yet. Society is more disconnected from individual interaction than ever before. Financial stressors are among the biggest worries college students share. The combination of business, lack of person-to-person interaction and financial worry is a perfect storm for misdiagnosed cases of anxiety and depression. It is easy to “brush off” these problems as everyday stressors, but it is vital to know the difference between everyday stress and mental health issues.
Any student who has made his or her way through a full semester has experienced what an exam week feels like. This is a period of worry, restlessness, dietary changes and varied sleep patterns. Physical symptoms include muscle tension, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, irritability, chest pain and headaches. Students need to realize that these negative things are normal, but should be temporary. If these things are part of a Buckeye’s daily routine, he or she should seek help. Help can be found through Ohio State’s very own Psychological Services Center.