What Is Pre-Exam and Post-Exam Stress? Why Does It Happen?

The thought of examinations makes many students stressed out. If you are concerned about tests, be assured that you are not alone. Many students of all ages—kids at elementary school, middle school, high school, and even college—usually require some support when it comes to overcoming exam stress. This may make somebody less confident, affect sleeping, or change appetite.

But do not worry! Knowing the reason for your stress and how to deal with it makes a lot of difference. In this article, we are going to look in detail at exam stress. Most importantly, we share ways of dealing with these feelings and doing your best on exams. If you feel stressed or confused, you can always seek exam help from experts.

Now, let's dive right into exam stress and how to take it head-on. We are going to break everything down in simple terms so that by the end of this, you will have helpful tips that will help you feel way more relaxed and ready for your tests.

What is Pre-Exam Stress?

Pre-exam stress is a type of nervous feeling one feels before a big test. You could be scared, worried, or even sick in your stomach. This happens to almost everybody. You should not feel bad if it happens to you.

Causes of Pre-Exam Stress

Many reasons make us feel stressed before exams also called pre-exam jitters. Let us look at some of those reasons:

Fear of Failure: They feel afraid that if we perform poorly, will disappoint parents or teachers.

Lack of Preparation: Either we have not prepared enough, or maybe we just do not know if we have learned everything.

Perfectionism: Some students feel the need to get good grades all the time.

What is Post-Exam Stress?

You may think that you will feel better when the exam is over, but to many students, stress does not leave immediately. Well, this is what is called post-exam stress.

Why Does Post-Exam Stress Happen?

Some of the reasons could be the following:

Overthinking: You might go on and on about how you did, though your responses cannot be changed by then.

Replaying the Exam: Many students replay the exam time and time again. They wonder about questions they are unsure of or the answers they would have liked to change.

Waiting for Results: It might be excruciating if you don't know how you did. You may be unable to sleep or eat for a couple of days.

Coping with Exam Stress: Before an Examination

Well-prepared: Start studying well in advance so that you don't stay up all night before the exams. Make a study timetable and work accordingly.

Take Care of Yourself: Get lots of rest, eat good food, and exercise regularly. All these will improve your thinking ability and help you deal with the pressure.

Relaxation Techniques: Do some breathing exercises, meditation or Yoga. This will help in soothing you down at the very initial stages of anxiety.

Read Thoroughly: Don't rush on the questions. Furthermore, you can utilize the Rolfe reflective cycle to learn from your past experiences.

Dealing with Exam Stress: Post Exam

Distract Your Mind: Plan outings with friends, watch movies, and do anything that may give you a change of heart. This will keep your mind off thinking continuously about the results.

Talk to Someone: Share your feelings with a friend, parent or teacher. Sometimes, talking about your worries makes you feel better.

If you need help, don't hesitate to ask for it. If you're stressed, don't hesitate to ask for help. Many schools have extra support from counselors.

Importance of Help

Facilitating help presupposes the management of stress before and after an exam. It does not pertain to academic help but instead seeks to learn how to cope with the emotional side of exams. Exam help may make a difference in the following ways:

Confidence Boost: Good preparation gives one the much-needed confidence when trying an examination

Anxiety Reduction: Acquire stress management to keep you calm before, during, and after the exam.

Improving Study Skills: Good examinations will help you on the path to proper learning, reducing your stress in the long run.

Conclusion

Remember, a little stress is expected, but it can be managed. Be prepared and have fewer exam worries by keeping yourself healthy and well-prepared and applying some relaxation techniques.

Of course, that's the most important thing: they're just exams. They don't define you. So put in the best effort you can, but it isn't worth freaking out over if you're not so sure about a few things. Proper exam help, with the right attitude, is what's going to get you through it and out stronger on the other side.