If you’re wondering ‘what is exam stress?’, and whether you are experiencing symptoms, then you’re in the right place to learn more.
Exams can come with a lot of pressure, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by them.
Lots of us know what it feels like to be stressed, but there’s no one way to describe what stress is. Stress might feel different for you than it does for someone else. How we experience stress can feel different at different times. It can also depend on what’s causing it.
Feeling stressed, worried or under pressure around exams can be difficult to manage. But there are things that can help – it’s about finding what’s right for you.
What causes exam stress?
Exam stress can be more than feeling nervous on the day of an exam. It can also be how you feel leading up to exams, during exams and when waiting for results.
Exam stress can include:
Not feeling ready or prepared for your exams, or feeling behind with revision.
Worrying about how you’ll do in exams, especially when you are unsure what will be in them.
Worrying about sitting exams in different situations, like in a new place or under timed conditions. This may be particularly relevant if you are home-schooled or in hospital.
Pressure from others, such as parents, carers or teachers.
Setting high standards and putting pressure on yourself to achieve certain grades.
Comparing yourself to others. You may believe that you need to get the same results as your friends or people that you see on social media.
Worrying about the future, like getting into university or getting a job.
Other things that can effect our stress levels around the time of exams include:
Coping with upcoming life changes, like moving from secondary school to college or university.
Problems at home or in relationships with family, friends or partners.
Caring for a family member or someone you live with.
Living with physical or mental health problems or not having the right support in place. Stress can make your symptoms worse.
Being neurodivergent, like being autistic or having ADHD or dyslexia.
You may feel stressed for reasons that aren’t listed here. You might also experience a few of these things at the same time. These can build up and feel overwhelming.
Credit: Annie Spratt, Unsplash
Exam stress can affect how you feel, think and behave.
You might experience changes before, during, and/or after your exams.
Emotions:
Anxious or worried
Overwhelmed
Upset
Panicky
Exhausted
Guilty
Bored or fed up
Frustrated or angry
Embarrassed
Irritable
Disappointed
Confused
Physical Feelings:
Shaking
Feeling sick
Headaches
Dizziness
Stomach pain
Changes in eating habits
Crying or feeling like you want to cry more than usual
Low motivation
Struggling to concentrate
Forgetful
Restless
Feeling tense in our body
Changes in breathing or breathing very fast
Sweating a lot
Feeling tired
Thoughts:
Fear of failure, and other self-critical thoughts
Fear of disappointing yourself or others
Comparing yourself to others
Feeling like you can’t cope
Feeling like things are pointless
Thinking that you’re silly or stupid
Doubting yourself
Feeling like you need to be perfect
Believing everything is going wrong or is bad
Behaviours:
Avoiding things like revision
Working too much without taking breaks
Saying negative things about yourself
Not doing things you usually enjoy
Not spending enough time with people you care about
Finding it harder to look after your wellbeing, like not feeling able to sleep or eat
Using unhealthy ways to cope, like self-harm.
If you’re struggling to manage your stress, or you try to do too much, you might start to feel burnt out. This means that you might feel exhausted or unwell, both in your body and mind. Burnout tells us that we need to rest.
]We can learn how to manage exam stress. Some of the ways of helping you manage exam stress can be found here: Tips for Managing Exam Stress
