It’s that time of the year when students start biting their fingernails! With the examination season upon us, it is natural to get stressed as there is an unprecedented pressure that is created by social media due to an information overflow and even a toxic mixture of unrealistic peer and parental pressure.

In today’s fast-paced world, information is readily available at the click of a button. This hardly gives time or space for reflection and assimilation of knowledge. In addition, constant comparisons between offline and online also creates a pressure cooker kind of situation for teenagers.

Panic attacks, tantrums, and dark circles around the eyes are some tell-tale signs you may have noticed. You probably remember your exam dates better than your birthday! Parents say “STUDY!”, but even spelling it is a stress!

Unfortunately, such stress can lead to a stage where you may think yourself to be worthless. It is like a vicious cycle that can negatively impact your performance and score. 

So how does one cope in such a situation? First and foremost, sit back, think, and ask yourself:

• Are you alienating yourself from your support peer group and parents?
• Are you questioning your self-worth?
• Is sleep your worst enemy?
• Has your mealtime become a chore?
• Do you feel that you may not meet the expectations of your parents or social group?
• Do you have difficulty in focusing? 
• Are you a time bomb waiting to explode?

You might have other symptoms of stress that are not listed here and that’s okay. No two people are born alike. We are all different and cope with stress in different ways. 

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Though I had a pretty good idea about the exam, walking the path and being in the game was a whole new experience for me. Brushing aside my nerves, I started working on my speed of attempting the questions followed by enhancing my accuracy. Some of the good habits I picked up on the way were reading the newspapers every day and being aware and informed about my surroundings, and developing the interest to learn and explore new subjects, which I realised when I had exhausted all the resources provided by the Academy. By giving mock tests, my reading speed and analytical skills improved by leaps and bounds. With the passage of time, I could make out the difference in my level of understanding and comprehension.

On the psychological aspect, I was anxious in the beginning. A few months into the preparation, days flew by so fast that there was no time to comprehend my emotions. In November, with one month left for the big exam, I cut myself off from the outside world, fully engaged in getting myself ready to gain entry to my dream university, the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. It was difficult to say no to social gatherings and events, but I knew the pain of discipline would always be worth it.

Fast forward to the present, I have achieved what I had aimed for and had been so passionate about, with hard work, discipline and dedication. The constant support of my parents, teachers, friends and the institution helped me achieve this endeavour. I cannot but remember my mentor, Ms Hema Raman, who had been there for me all along. This examination has taught me to be resilient and has shaped me to be a better person. One important life lesson I have learnt from this experience is that motivation fades away over a period of time; it is discipline that helps you keep moving forward and takes you where you want to be.

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It is believed that studying anything 20-30 minutes before the exam, is a major cause of anxiety faced during the examination. Avoid doing the same, and also avoid asking your friends about what is important and what is not. Studying last minute is going to make you more anxious and the possibility of remembering is minimal.

• Do not enter the examination on an empty stomach.
• Sleep for at least 6-7 hours prior to writing the exam.
• Do not study anything 30 minutes before the exam.
• Stay away from negative people who will add to your stress.
• Keep yourself well hydrated, carry juice/electrol with you; sometimes it can be very handy.
• Check your stationery well in advance to avoid last-minute hassles.
• Practise deep breathing exercises if you feel very nervous.
• Open and close your fist if you are anxious and feel any kind of stiffness.
• Ask for permission to stand up and stretch, sometimes your muscles can get tensed if you are stressed. Stretching can help you destress.

In case the situation is beyond your control, ask for help.

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Exam stress or test anxiety involves a combination of excessively negative feelings, worry and dread about test performance and often interferes with normal learning and lowers exam performance. It is prevalent amongst students all over the world. The words ‘pressure’ and ‘stress’ are often used interchangeably, but in fact they are quite different.

Pressure can be positive and useful to complete deadlines or to help somebody avoid danger. However, when pressure is prolonged, it can be negative, and depending on how the individual perceives it and reacts to it, it can lead to the development of stress.

Exam stress is a natural reaction to too much pressure and can come from a number of sources, viz., young people themselves, comparisons with others, wanting to reach over-ambitious goals, pressure to excel in an exam from family members and peer pressure or pressure from teachers.

Symptoms of exam stress or test anxiety

Some people feel pressure and develop stress symptoms more readily than others. When someone is faced with increased pressure (in this case at exam time) their body can go into a response which releases increased amounts of stress chemicals in the body. This can lead to various symptoms including:

• Feeling cranky and irritable.
• Feeling inadequate and negative self-talk.
• Problems sleeping or waking up from sleep.

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Author: Dr Sajith Cyriac, SSP
Publisher: Better Yourself Books
Publication year: 2022
Pages: 114; Price: Rs 100

‘The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.’

The above quote by Aristotle in this action-oriented book is hard-hitting. How many students today want to gain a distinction in their exams but yet want to put in no effort for the same? We need to learn that what comes easy won’t last and what lasts does not come easy. In this age of instant messaging and instant shopping, Dear Students: Your Pathway to Excellence by Dr Sajith Cyriac, Vice Principal of St Paul’s College Bangalore, educates students that the recipe for success is made tasty by the salt of one’s sweat, tears and hard work.

The book is a series of pep talks in the form of letters to young people wishing to educate them on the different ways to study smart and not long. Topics such as exam stress, study timetable management, peer pressure, school-college dropouts, self-education, memory triggers, etc., are dwelt upon in a simple, quick and precise manner. The writing is engaging and profound, which teaches students the importance of sometimes putting that smartphone down and knowing the difference between knowledge and basic information.

College students can even use it to induce them to goal-directed behaviour. According to Dr Cyriac, practice is a miracle waiting to happen. Stop procrastinating and buy this reflective book to change your study habits. Interpret your study schedule cognitively and responsibly with this life-disciplining self-help book. Learn the difference between positive and negative stress in this world of mass-produced distinctions in board exams — marks are not everything, education is. Don’t stop when you are exhausted; stop when you are done with your work. Revolutionize your school life and your personal relationships with your peers now with Dear Students: Your Path to Excellence.

Available at Better Yourself Books and all St Paul Book Centres in India

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Dear Meena,

Sounds like you just hate everything that is happening to you. You feel powerless, out of control and a failure, and you’re ready to give up. Yet, when you are rock bottom, you can only go up.

You can choose to look backwards at all the things that have not worked, label them as terrible, play a victim, pity yourself and spiral into despair; OR you can look forward to your future, label your challenges as opportunities to grow, be a ‘growth-mindset’ person, and make things happen. The truly successful people in the world went through tremendous tough times before emerging winners.

If you want to win over yourself and your mind:

a) Accept the new place and school. A growth-mindset person can grow where planted. What if you were stuck in an IIT and this situation arose?

b) Set boundaries: If your priority is studies, set aside time slots to study and tell everyone not to disturb you then. Be firm. Set aside a different time to help your parents.

c) Inspire yourself: Find ways to encourage yourself towards your JEE goal and success. Examples: A vision board on the wall. An image of yourself with a medal saying ‘JEE’. A voice recording to play when you’re discouraged.

d) Sort your study difficulties: Your feelings of resentment prevent you from focusing. Rewire. Online learning can be recorded, played back a million times, is in small chunks and there are a thousand references for a topic. If you’re missing company: Phone a friend. Teach another. Video call an expert (teacher). Get a study buddy or group. People are often happy to help.

Even one second ago is the past. Work in the present to create your future.

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It is against this background that we bring you, this month, a special article, Day Of The Results, by Dr Augustine Pinto, well-known educationist and Founder-Chairman of Ryan International Group of Institutions. Dr Pinto, himself a parent, affirms what the agitating parents seem to have realised, though belatedly, thanks to the Corona virus: “Parents need to understand that children are more important than the marks and the ranks you want them to score in examinations… failure in an exam or their scoring lesser marks than you expected, is not the end of the world!”

The same positive thought is beautifully reflected in another article in the present issue From Rejection to Acceptance by Dr George Kaitholil, a reputed author of numerous motivational books, published by Better Yourself Books. “Rejection (failure, too) hurts, and hurts like hell! Paradoxically it is also a moment of great potential!” says Dr Kaitholil.

The July 2020 issue brings you a lot more, still homebound due to Covid 19. Johnny Orlando, the new teenage sensation on the cover, and the exclusive interview with him by Verus Ferreira, is sure to fascinate you! You might even want to start reading about Johnny before the other articles though they are all equally interesting and beneficial.

Do You Have a Role Model? by Denny Joseph, Making a Difference in Corona Times by F. M. Britto, the special feature: The East Indians – An Enduring Image by Irwin Almeida are all there for you in addition to the regular columns, making the present issue really memorable. However,we are unable to send you the hard copy, yet. So make sure you get an e-copy from our office and share it with your friends, as well!

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The education system over the years that has led students and parents to merely focus on a singular aspect of ‘Results’ needs a paradigm shift! Result-oriented education somewhat still plagues the present day education system. What exactly are the ‘Results’? It is the by-product of a commonly-used assessment tool by educational institutions. It is a crucial factor that decides whether a student will progress to the next level of education or whether she/he will remain in the same class for another term.

For many students, ‘result day’ has become judgement day. Unrealistic self-imposed lofty goals for high marks, impractical expectations and undue pressurising by parents, peer competition, misplaced ambitions to outperform others are some of the aspects that mount undue nervousness and over-burdening the children. Parents need to understand that children are more important than the marks you want them to score in examination. Remember, failure in exam is not the end of the world!

In this age of technological advancement and rapid globalization, students increasingly find themselves utterly puzzled in choosing a career path that would be the most suited to live up to parental, peer and societal expectations. Unfortunately, even today, parents resort to expecting their children to get very high marks and be part of the rat race. The consequence of this race for marks creates an environment of intense stress among students and drastically affects their mental health. By and large, parents and society have adopted an attitude that exalts “winners” and shuns failures. Less marks and failure is often considered as ultimate defeat, and children are tagged on the basis of their marks alone.

Today, parents who juggle with their family, finances and job responsibilities, find no time for their children and totally depend on coaching classes, and adopt a mindset that gives importance to marks alone. The child becomes an easy target. The tremendous pressure is due to the mind numbing competition and success denoted by the achievement of high scores in the present education scenario. Often, parents and students find themselves in the grip of intense anxiety, just before the declaration of the results. Studies have highlighted how so many children are ending up with several anxiety disorders such as insomnia, lack of concentration and depression. It is sad that low marks and failure is considered as a stigma in the society and often negatively affects the self-esteem of the child.

Today, it is encouraging to see that understanding the dire need for a holistic development, educationists are working on bringing significant changes in the system. It is important that we teach our students various planning skills, such as daily, weekly and monthly goal setting as this will help them all through their career. Parents need to assure their children that they can be successful in life even though they may score low marks in examinations. They need to assure them that there are several avenues to be successful in life.

There are innumerable instances where students have performed poorly and failed miserably in their academic career, yet have gone on to become exceptionally successful in life and have carved a niche for themselves in society. Thomas Alva Edison was not a high scorer; rather he was labelled as a failure. But the world knows him because of his remarkable contribution for the betterment of humankind. Failure cannot and should not be seen as the end of everything, as a part of the learning process and self-improvement with sheer determination.

Students today need to be practical, positive and passionate in their efforts. Parents as well as students need to be practical in their expectations and set realistic goals. Students have also to identify their limitations and take extra efforts to overcome them. Let failure and low marks not bring a feeling of despair, uncertainty, doubt and frustration. Also it is crucial for students to inculcate a passion that will intensify and fuel their desire to succeed.

It is time to correct the wrong assumption that low marks and failure is the dead end for everything in life. It is time to overcome this mentality that has been deeply engraved for years. Good marks may get you into a reputed college but falling a little short of it will not be an obstacle in reaching your fullest potential. You are precious, lovable and a wonderful person who can make a difference in the society. Parents need to be extremely supportive, provide encouragement and most importantly give children unconditional love and care at all times.

In no circumstances, should the parent resort to extreme measures to harm the child. Parents should facilitate an environment that is conducive for their children to achieve their full potential. In our Institutions, we urge parents to instil fear of God, values of integrity and respect and nurture their child’s natural talent rather than pushing them towards things they have no interest in. Love them and spend quality time with them. Schools on their part need to prepare students to become lifelong learners by providing them apt environment for creative thinking, together with communication and life skills.

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Dear Prachi,

Maths sure looks like a subject that makes you freeze and feel that you’re no good! It so upsets you that your parents and teachers scold you about it and don’t quite get what’s happening with you.

Build the habit of working step-by-step for each sum. Write down or recite the steps in your mind. In the exam, you can write the steps on a rough sheet if permitted. For example, with constructions, mentally go over the sequence: First draw a line. Then place your compass on Point A and draw an arc and so on. Focus on accuracy and steps, not on speed. When the steps are correct, the speed will come. You can also use a sheet of paper to cover the next sum so that you focus on only one sum at a time.

Before an exam, calm yourself by doing 3 to 5 rounds of breathing. Stand with your hands on your hips, feet slightly apart. Breathe slowly and let your belly rise and fall as you do. Count up to 5 while inhaling and 5 while exhaling. (Avoid straining while doing so). During the exam, if you feel panicky, support yourself by putting one hand on your belly and one on your upper chest just below your throat. Close your eyes and breathe slowly 2-3 times.

Finally, change your self-talk. Put up posters saying stuff like, “Maths is cool and so am I!” “Numbers are my friends” or “Exams are just sheets of papers with questions that I can calmly answer!” All the best!

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Examination stress is pretty much common among students these days. All students pass through this critical phase which arises out of excessive worries about excelling at and outshining other competitors in the race. The fear of examinations, referred to as ‘examination phobia’, adversely affects performance and abnormally disturbs the psychological balance of an examinee. It is characterized by feelings of utter confusion, worry, frustration, anxiety, depression, frustration and perplexity.

However, psychologists believe that a certain degree of stress is essential for a better performance both in the examination and life, because stress functions as a catalyst. Moreover, a little stress to some extent makes us stay focused on the goal that we want to reach in our lives.

Busting exam stress requires a two-pronged strategy — first, students must plan seriously and meticulously to prepare well for the examinations. Secondly, they need to stay cool, calm and composed when the pressure of doing better than others starts occupying their minds and affecting their routine.

1. Your approach to life and career must be very realistic
Every person on this earth is born with some inherent special talent which the rest do not possess. So it is very essential for students to recognize their knack and know that special talent. Ask yourself — what can you do best? What is your forté which others do not have? Based upon these honest findings and facts, students should set a specific aim in their lives.
There is no gainsaying the fact that setting goals without knowing your strengths and weaknesses would merely place you in jeopardy. Besides, your goal must not be influenced by the unrealistic dreams of your parents and peer pressure. This way you will be able to stave off undue stress in your life.

2. You must have a flawless and practical study plan
Planning is the stepping stone to success. That is why it is said that if you fail to plan you plan to fail! An immaculate study plan is essential for good examination preparation. However, before making the plan one must keep in the mind how many hours you have at your disposal to give to serious study. Planning only for the sake of planning will not help.

3. Do not hide your problems
Under stressful conditions, it is better to talk openly about your problems with someone you trust most and whom you consider as your confidant. Sharing problems reduces tension. The sensitive, empathetic, sympathetic and caring attitude of the parents at this critical time of anxiety may prove to be a much-needed cushion. Teachers too may prove to be saviours. They can help dispel any fear or phobia that might have arisen due to the pressure of imminent examinations.

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