Before the final exams of the Spring Festival, a student told me that he gets nervous before every exam, and this time it was especially severe. A week before the exam, he was already in a panic and couldn't maintain his normal study routine. I taught him some small techniques, which he found very effective. He passed the year-end exam smoothly and achieved a relatively good score. However, after the Spring Festival, during the mock exam, he was extremely nervous again. "The moment I think of the college entrance exam, my mouth goes dry, my throat feels blocked, my whole body trembles, and I feel like I'm about to faint. I feel the college entrance exam is a关口 (a crucial hurdle) that I can never get over." "I just want to get into a university. If I don't, everything is over. My family has worked so hard to support my schooling, hoping I can get into a university. No one in my family has ever been a university graduate; all their hopes are on me."
I asked him about his scores in every major exam since entering high school. I learned that in the 9 major exams (midterms and finals) since high school, according to the city's cutoff line, he only passed the undergraduate admission line once. The other scores were around the junior college line. Except for that one time, he felt his scores were unsatisfactory in every other exam. Judging from his past exam results, his actual academic level is around the junior college line. However, he insisted on passing the undergraduate line, and this overly high expectation brought him immense mental pressure. He expected to perform beyond his ability in every exam, but it never happened. So, every exam left him feeling frustrated, and the more this happened, the more he feared exams. I gave this student cognitive therapy and repeated relaxation training. In 2009, he successfully took the college entrance exam, performed at his normal level, and his score was above the junior college line.
The reasons for exam anxiety are often excessive pressure or overly high expectations, of course, there are also personality factors. Let's discuss how to cope with exam anxiety.
Exam anxiety is divided into three types: one is nervousness during the pre-exam review; another is nervousness before the exam papers are handed out; and the third is nervousness during the exam. I will now explain how to deal with these three situations respectively.
The first type of problem is nervousness during the pre-exam review.
These students often worry that they won't do well on the exam, that they'll have no face to see their family, that they'll disappoint their teachers, that they'll let their parents down... The moment they think about the exam before it happens, they panic, can't study effectively, and their learning efficiency is very low. For these students, the first step is to change their cognition. At this point, think about it: all your worries are of no benefit to your exam performance; on the contrary, they will affect it. It's better to calm down, work hard, and study diligently, regardless of the outcome. This way, you might actually achieve your true potential and perform at your best. Furthermore, the exam is your own business; the path of life is one you walk yourself. Whether it's your parents or teachers, they just hope you'll live a more wonderful life. Don't take their expectations as your own goals. So, as long as you have tried your best, you won't have disappointed your teachers or parents. Besides, in the long river of life, there will be countless exams. So what if you fail once? You can start over. A person's success doesn't lie in succeeding every time, but in the persistence you show towards your goals. Everyone knows the folk singer A Bao, right? He participated in the Young Singers Grand Prix more than ten times without winning an award, but finally gained public recognition by participating in "Star Avenue".
Specific measures: From the moment you feel nervous, create a pre-exam plan. Your goals should be specific and realistic, with a detailed plan for every class every day. After completing each part of the plan, give yourself some encouragement. For example: "Great, I've completed another part of the plan, I'm one step closer to success." After completing a day's plan, reward yourself. For example: buy something you usually wouldn't buy for yourself, or reward yourself with some snacks, etc.
The second type of problem is nervousness before the exam papers are handed out.
When you enter the exam hall and sit in your seat, the few minutes before the papers are handed out are the most difficult. At this time, don't let yourself be idle. First, you can take some deep breaths (practice: grasp the key points, inhale fully and exhale completely). You can quietly think about your favorite song; think about the happiest moment in your life; think about a time you had a successful exam; or you can draw a picture or a cartoon for your teacher or classmates; you can imagine yourself playing by the sea; imagine yourself on the vast grassland watching sheep and horses grazing leisurely... In short, you need to shift your attention and not think about whether you are nervous.
The third type of problem is nervousness during the exam.
When you encounter a question you don't know during the exam, some students panic and lose their confidence all at once. If you continue to answer the exam at this point, the results won't be good. So, stop for a few seconds, take a few deep breaths, relax your body, and after your emotions have stabilized, start with the easier questions and tackle the difficult ones later. You can also squeeze the pen with your left hand, pause for a few seconds, then relax, and enjoy the pleasure that comes with physical relaxation. Tell yourself to be calm and composed. At the same time, tell yourself that it's normal to encounter questions you don't know. If I find a question difficult, others must find it difficult too. Don't panic blindly. Another point is that students who are prone to nervousness during exams should start from the beginning and answer the questions in order. When you come across a question you can't answer, skip it and first answer the questions you are confident about. Then, go back and answer the skipped ones. Follow the principle: "Get all the easy questions right; don't waste a single point on the medium-level questions; and make a strong effort on the difficult questions; if you can't solve them, don't regret it!"
Now let's analyze the mentality after the exam:
1. Getting proud after a good exam score.
To put it more accurately, any student would be excited and happy after getting a good score; this shouldn't be called pride. I have a view that when you do well, you should share it with good friends or family, celebrate it, and let yourself fully enjoy the joy of success. This will enhance your self-confidence. (Note: don't say it in front of students who didn't do well, consider their feelings.) Because "self-confidence comes from successful experiences," while "low self-esteem comes from failed experiences." If you succeed but don't experience and enjoy this joy, and only experience the pain of failure, your life will feel very oppressive. However, after the excitement, you must keep a clear head. Honor belongs to the past; everything starts anew.
2. Feeling inferior after a bad exam score.
Any student should not just stare at their scores and rankings, and blindly compare themselves with others. If you only see that your score is not as good as others or your ranking is not as good, you might feel hopeless, and even feel that your future is bleak. Instead, you should focus on analyzing your exam paper. Look at where you went wrong, what areas of knowledge you lack, why you made a mistake, and what the correct answer should be. Look at the gaps between you and the students who did well. Is there a problem with your study methods, or did you not work hard enough? Analyze all the reasons. Treat every exam as a step of progress. If you learn something you didn't know through the exam, haven't you taken a step forward? Another point is to admit that, just like people's faces, there are differences in intelligence between people. Acknowledge your shortcomings, work on your strengths, and compare yourself with your past self to see your progress. This way, you won't feel inferior.
3. Jealousy of others' good exam scores.
Jealousy is a very negative state of mind. Because the object of your jealousy is someone close to you or a good friend, once jealous feelings arise, you can't hide them. Your body language will have already revealed the inner secret you wanted to conceal, because body language doesn't lie. When you feel jealous, you can think about it from the following aspects: 1. Look at the whole school, the whole city, the whole province, the whole country; there are many people who are much better than him (the person you are jealous of). 2. How can I catch up with or surpass him? Turn jealousy into motivation.
Now let's talk about adjusting your mentality before the exam:
1. Your expectations for the exam should be appropriate. Realistically assess your academic ability. Don't set your goals too high or too low. Adhere to the principle of "a little jump can reach the peach."
2. Use positive self-suggestion. "I can do it!" "I'm great!" "No problem!"
3. Walk with your head held high and a firm stride. "Head high and chest out" is enough to change a person's mental state.
4. When you have negative emotions, resolve them in a timely manner. (1) Talk about it; (2) Write in a diary; (3) Exercise; (4) Listen to music, etc.
5. When you are sitting in the exam hall, calm down and silently say to yourself three times: "I will perform at my best, I can do it!"
6. Remember: You must eat staple foods before an exam. Eggs and milk provide protein, but what the brain needs for thinking is glucose.
Finally, I wish everyone a good score in every exam!