By: Todd Long
Submitted: 2010-12-27 08:59:58 | Word Count: 514
Our life always offers us to take different exams - some or other kinds of trials, where we have to prove our competence, our well being, our determination and our IQ. Student having to submit his philosophy term paper, surgeon operating for the first time, unemployed, who came for the interview to his potential employer – all of them have the symptoms of the exam stress. If you are a student, there is no need for me to explain what exam stress is. Sleepless nights, troubled thoughts, loss of appetite, rapid pulse, trembling hands - these are typical manifestations of exam fear. Recent research has shown that it affects all the systems of the human body: nervous, immune, cardiovascular, etc.
The scientists from Houston Medical School proved in the course of their research that exam fear increases the possibility of cancer. Unfortunately, the negative influence of this phenomenon on the students’ body and their psychology is underestimated nowadays. Social polls demonstrate that students perceive the exams as a “duel of questions and answers”, as a “severe torture” as “intellectual and emotional overload”. Writing term papers (e. g psychology term paper) most of them compare with “killing their time“. Yes, exams are important for you as their results influence your social status, your self –esteem, grants, your further perspectives of study and probably your future professional career. Such factors as long awaiting of the exam, some uncertainty when taking your exam card ( it is like sink or swim ) and tough limit of time for your preparation maximize emotional tension. Some foreign and native scientists, having studied this area thoroughly have concluded that from psycho hygienic position exams are undesirable and they should be cancelled.
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At the same time there is quite opposite point of view, stating that exams stimulate brain activity and increase cognitive and mental activity. American psychologist Sarazon determined that those students who are afraid of exam can considerably improve their achievements and even outdo those who are not scared of them. The only necessary thing for it – is the encouraging attitude of the professors – they should strengthen students’ self-confidence. Surely, praise must prevail over scolding. Only then the exams are useful. Every person has own optimal level of worry and anxiety, which helps him/ her to achieve the best results. You must learn how to control your stress and extra anxiety to graduate from the university as a healthy person. I hope that these small tips will be of practical help to you and you will forget what exam stress is in the negative meaning of the word.
If exams cause great worry, if you have some symptoms of exam stress (insomnia, rapid pulse, hands trembling and so on) you ought to do something about it. Use breath meditations, repeat formulas of autosuggestion, imagine the picture of ideal exam atmosphere. You also should take three relaxing sessions and reduce the level of stressful tension (a day before the exam, before leaving home for university and half an hour before the exam).
