Introduction
A sensation of mental strain is what we refer to as stress. It might be anything, an experience, or thought that provokes a person’s feelings of agitation, anger, or nervousness. However, stress may be beneficial in short bursts, such as when it alerts one to potential danger or motivates one to complete an essential task in time. Conversely, if the stress continues for an extended period, it may be detrimental to one’s health. For example, varying circumstances can trigger stress in a person, specifically, parental pressure. The latter can induce stressful conditions where a parent pressures their children to perform. Hence, if there is more than one upcoming test, several students panic about obtaining excellent marks in a bid to make their parents proud.
Academic stress is the sense of anxiety and concern that arises from test-taking scenarios. It is natural to experience tension about future tests, examinations, papers, or presentations. Indeed, a fair bit of stress may push one and drive them to work more. Nevertheless, exam stress becomes troublesome when it compromises one’s capacity to execute and attain academic and learning objectives (Shukla et al., 2021). Exam stress indicators include rapid pulse, a headache, profuse perspiration, racing thoughts, blanking out, anxiety, and uncontrollable sensations of fear.
However, some aspects of the condition, such as profuse breathing, can be manageable. For instance, inhaling profoundly through the belly might aid in managing shortness of breath during stress. To practice deep breathing at home, individuals can: Place their hands on the abdomen while lying. Inhale deeply via the nose, allowing the belly to stretch and the lungs to fill with air. Hold one’s breath for many seconds and gently exhale via the mouth to evacuate the lungs, hence easing the body of stress. If feasible, these exercises should be practiced under a qualified medical practitioner’s supervision to minimize dangers.
At the same time, aspects such as blanking out due to fear of letting parents down have proved challenging to manage. The situation can be attributed to stress over tests, which impairs the individual’s memory and performance. The more one is stressed, the more difficult and nervous it is to recall, and the procedure is circular (Pascoe et al., 2020). After experiencing exam anxiety, the brain is on high alert. Thence, it is accompanied by worry, exacerbating the bodily manifestations of tension and hence blanking out.
Nonetheless, coping with stress may be challenging, particularly during test season. Therefore, there are recommendations to assist one through the hectic test time.
Breathing: Scheduling aside a few minutes each day to perform meditation methods, such as breathing exercises, allows one to quiet their body’s stress reaction and return their focus to the present.
Eating, Resting and Exercising properly: Stress levels may be exacerbated by pulling all-nighters, consuming a bad diet, and engaging in limited physical activity daily; hence improving on each can elevate stress.
Moreover, stress management strategies can be vital in reducing stress, to be precise.
Harness one’s Emotions: Stress is influenced by a person’s emotions, and those who do not recognize their temperaments cannot inspire the most satisfactory performance in tests. When working under frightening or self-absorbed conditions, individuals become cautious and unwilling to contribute information or fresh ideas. Thus it is crucial to leverage emotions which will equate to stress elevation.
Self-Assessment Exercise: Self-evaluation is a component of self-regulated learning and self-regulated behavior. It is a critical component of academic self-awareness and self-improvement, which help ease stress by knowing and managing their stress levels.
Conclusion
Overall, stress can be induced in various ways; for instance, learners undertaking studies are pressured to perform by their parents. In this way, it triggers their panic; hence they develop anxiety. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the stressful situation; breathing and relaxing will bolster the body to release hormones needed for stress reduction. Stress is a condition that should be avoided in other cases; it leads to blanking out; thus, setting realistic objectives and harnessing emotions should be employed to manage stress.
References
Pascoe, M. C., Hetrick, S. E., & Parker, A. G. (2020). The impact of stress on students in secondary school and higher education.International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 104-112. Web.
Shukla, P., Gajpal, K. N., Jha, M., & Mitra, M. (2020). Study of academic achievement in relation to study habit, test anxiety in adolescents.Journal of Ravishankar University, 26(1), 63-76. Web.