Exam stress and illness

I've had an awful first year at uni. My immune system has been so low, that literally I've caught everything that's been going around. And now on the last leg of it - my last exam is this Friday, I've been unable to perform and have missed so many exams because I've been literally too sick to sit them. I've been to the doctors, and I've had medical notes, but it doesn't stop me being worried sick (literally in this case) that I'm not going to pass the year. It's incredibly unfair, and I feel the need to rant. A lot.

Basically, a couple of weeks before exams I had really quite bad flu, (which I first thought was hay fever, spent a bunch on piritin which only made me drowsy) and I think my immune system must have been at an all time low, because I have a completely debilitating mix of an ear infection and a stomach bug - that has been going for two whole weeks now. I went for a blood test yesterday to see if there is an underlying problem to do with blood sugar or my thyroid, but I won't get that result for a week, and I'd doubt it would show anything. I would have said that I was getting better, but halfway through writing this I had to run to the bathroom. I'm going to the doctors again tomorrow, but I'm just so stressed out. I mean, I have to try and revise for exams, get the energy to go to exams, as well as being ill and trying to get myself better, and covering all the administration involved with being ill during exams. It is just too much. I don't know if I even care whether I pass this year or not - I don't want to fail but I just can't wait to get home so I can get better.

Has anyone ever been in a similar position and got through it? How the **** did you manage?

Reply 1

AverageGuyOnTheStreet

9

I ended up dropping out completely on health grounds. I wanted to get an internal transfer but had to pass the year. I knew that, with all the illnesses I had and the amount of time I had been out, that was not possible so I had to drop out. I spent the second half of term 1 with a serious illness and all of term 2 with one bug or another.

Though, saying that, I did get an allowance in an exam I did in January because of the illness I had in term 1. Maybe your uni might be supportive and give you that.

I thought that my illnesses were caused by the stress of hating my course and that dropping out would improve my health but that was not the case for me. I am now taking time out to regain my health, hopefully returning to uni to study something else later this year.

Good luck to you though.

Reply 2

person 34

9

My friend missed most of year 10 and half of year 11, because of migraines and stress. Her parents had a messy divorce so she had lots of things physically and mentally wrong with her. She was annoyingly clever though and managed to get through exams. She also had quite a laid back attitude to working though, so maybe that's what you have to do, and realise that you obviously haven't performed your best this year and just accept it. But, I would also consider maybe some natural healing methods etc, if you're into that sort of stuff, byut the blood test may show something, ya never know.

Reply 3

immortal

OP

10

Thanks guys, thats given something for me to think about. I suppose I just have never failed anything really, and it's stressing me out on top of being ill. Hopefully if I go to the doctors tomorrow they might be able to give me something. I've considered my options, should I fail I suppose I can reapply and I hope that the uni are supportive enough to just pass me anyway lol. It's just a strain, because my second year is a year abroad in Moscow, so whatever I do this year it doesn't count for my degree, and I'll improve a ridiculous amount after a year living there. Maybe they will take that in consideration and it will go in my favour.

Thank you xx

Reply 4

blissy

15

Yes, I had epic gastro-enteritis for two weeks, three week before my finals. I couldn't keep water down or any anti-sickness medication. I had to stay in bed for 16 days and do nothing.

I don't know how I got through it, but I did and I too my finals and I graduated. Sometimes you just have to push on through.

Reply 5

Sycren

11

I know its not uni, but I have been ill for the last month and have been stuck on high dossages of pain killers, anti sickness tablets, antiacids and so on and my A levels start on the 6th June. This is my final year and I have 10 exams to look forward to with so far 1 week of head down revision when feeling sick with v. bad stomache and back pains.......and now my hay fever is starting to kick in....joy.

I'm screwed, it does not help that my school recently diagnosed me as dyslexic either.....seems almost like a practical joke right before my january modules. I have found that by organising myself and my thoughts I have become less stressed, I have been using mindmaps to revise everything and to organise me in what am I going to revise today, what do i need to cover with my teachers, what do I not understand and so on. It might work for you so try it.

Reply 6

e_s_emsie

im just about to take my a-levels but jan of my gcse year my parents had a messy divorce and we moved out so that was while i was trying to revise for mocks, then week my gcse real exams started i got mumps so had to miss 3 exams, week before my as-levels in the summer i got shingles and was unable to revise properly as on strong pain killers etc....then thought this yr all will be fine but was being sick a lot before my jan a-level exams and found out i was wheat and dairy intollerant and now have my first summer exam on 7th june and got shingles again yesterday so revision yet again is hard......so so so frustrating! my advice is just to keep going, get all the doctors help you can and make sure you have the support of the school/uni and you will get through this! good luck to all those who arent feeling to well and have exams - we get ill because of the stress we put on ourselves.

Reply 7

e_s_emsie

sorry that sounded as if it was all about me - just thought id share my experience!

Reply 8

Sarky

18

I have been at hospital lots whilst at uni which has meant missing lots of lectures and one exam so far. Luckily i've never failed anything, so the uni has never had to give me extra marks or anything even though they have been extremely supportive and if i failed they would know why. For some reason my body seems to know when i can't get ill (although i had an exam on monday and was extremely ill, but i was able to do it). It is very frustrating and worrying when you're ill and i understand why you feel so bad about it. I always make sure i communicate well with the uni whenever i am ill so that it doesn't come as a surprise if i don't do as well as anticipated.

Exam stress and illness

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