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How to stop being a pussy over exams??

Exam anxiety is real and it’s only September, what the actual hell is happening to me and how do I cure it: the school year hasn’t even started yet and I’m stressing

Reply 1

alate

Try talking to your head of year, thats what I did and its helped me a lot

Reply 2

Candykitten15

Original post

by Sh00tme

Exam anxiety is real and it’s only September, what the actual hell is happening to me and how do I cure it: the school year hasn’t even started yet and I’m stressing

There is life after exams!
You will be absolutely fine. You just need to start the year, and do your best.
I'm a weirdo, so I like to look at it metaphorically: top grades are like the top of a mountain. Yes, the climb is difficult and not everybody is an equally experienced climber, but everybody works their butt off to get as far up as possible. Those who don't try, they stay at the foot of the mountain and never get to enjoy the view, or look back and be proud of their progress...
There is a lovely mountain view awaiting you in the new school year!!! Try your best; hard work will always be enough. Study, but also remember to set aside regular time for yourself to unwind, breathe, or play a game. Whatever it is you can do to replenish your batteries :smile:

As someone I know said, "There is life after exams".
LIKE AAAA IT WILL BE OKAYY XD!!!

Hope this helps! wishing you the best x

Reply 3

PAPYRUS HOPELINE

Official Rep

Hi There

We hear that your end of year exams are having an impact on your anxiety right now. Often talking about how we are feeling with someone that we trust can help us to chat through why this might be having such an impact. This could be with a Friend or Family Member. It is important that you feel supported with your studies so you might want to consider speaking with a Teacher who you trust so that they can support you to balance your exams with your Mental Health.

We encourage you to take a look at the Anxiety UK and PAPYRUS websites to access support with managing exam stress. It may also be worthwhile to take a look at some self-care ideas to take some time to look after you whilst you are feeling this way right now.

You have done really well to use this space to be honest about how you are feeling. If you are feeling like suicide is an option right now then you can call Hopeline247 on 0800 068 4141 or Text us on 88247 to speak with a trained Suicide Prevention Adviser who will be more than happy to help 💟

Reply 4

jelllyfiiish

Life & Style Forum Helper

Original post

by Sh00tme

Exam anxiety is real and it’s only September, what the actual hell is happening to me and how do I cure it: the school year hasn’t even started yet and I’m stressing

Take deep breaths, everything will be alright - besides you’ve got thousands of other people facing the same process.

You’re going to end up fine, relaxed with a smile during the year. Don’t let examinations get to your head, it’ll only make you stressed more throughout the school year.

If you really are worried, you could do some independent study before school starts so it’d be easier for you to manage your workload!

I hope everything goes smoothly for you, don’t worry! :h:

Reply 5

Daisy._.7777

Original post

by Sh00tme

Exam anxiety is real and it’s only September, what the actual hell is happening to me and how do I cure it: the school year hasn’t even started yet and I’m stressing

I feel you. I had panic attacks throughout my GCSEs, so the thought of starting A-levels and having to do mocks again is really terrifying. I’m considering talking to my sixth form to ask for some kind of mental health support, so I can talk to someone or even get a prescription to help deal with my anxiety if I need it.

If you’re not in a position to do that, here’s something you can do instead.

when I would panic in my exams, I would try to use breathing exercises to calm myself down. Have you ever heard of the 478 methods? I use it a lot when I’m stressed or struggling to sleep. Basically, you breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and breathe out through your mouth for 8 seconds. Then, repeat until you feel calm. I’ve found it really helpful whilst I was waiting for my GCSE results, and just for general stress and anxiety. Plus, it’s easy to remember; whenever you’re stressed, just think 478.

If you also struggle with sleep like me, I’d also recommend listening to something while you sleep. You could listen to calming music, rain noises, or whatever makes you feel calm personally to help you sleep. Sleep meditations may also help if you like the sound of people speaking, and usually have guided breathing exercises if you find the 478 method useful!

Hobbies and breaks are also very important when revising. I try to take time during the day to listen to music because it boosts my mood. I also find sitting down in a comfortable spot with a nice drink or snack while reading a book to be very soothing. Though I don’t do this nearly as much as I’d like, I hope to get into the habit again because it’s very good to wind down, especially before bed instead of looking at my phone.

If you want to stay productive but not study, I also find cleaning to be quite relaxing. Usually, when I’m stressed, a messy environment or bedroom makes my brain feel cluttered, causing more stress. So, by cleaning, not only is the process itself calming, especially if you listen to music, audiobooks, podcasts, etc., whilst doing it, the result could also help reduce your stress because you don’t have to worry about mess anymore.

Finding things that help your stress and anxiety may take some time, but maybe look online for different methods and see which ones work for you, and then adopt them.

TBH, I’d love to give you more advice, but I’m still figuring out how to manage my own stress and anxiety! These are just the things I’ve found work for me so far in my life.

If I am to give you anymore advice, though, it would just be to be kind to yourself. Don’t push yourself to the limits when you feel like you're at your breaking point. That was what I did during my GCSEs, and all I did was cause panic attacks. Listen to your mind and body and take breaks when necessary; if anything, it will actually help improve your grades because you’ll go into your exams with a better mindset. And, on those days when you genuinely feel unable to study, don’t beat yourself up about it. I read this book once, and it said

‘When you can’t find your purpose in a day, make it to look after yourself.’

And I couldn’t agree more! If you can’t study one day, take a break! Have a bath or a shower, cook yourself a meal you like, read a book or play a video game you enjoy, go for a walk, do anything that helps you wind down! Because then, when you go back to studying, you’ll have so much more energy.

Sorry for rambling, but I really hope this helps!