How to avoid the post-exam freak out
“Pens down” is the most glorious phrase you’ve probably been longing to hear since day one of the course. It means the exam is done. The course is done. And all that built-up stress is gone, right?
Wrong. Instead of fantasising about how you're going to spend your mid-year break, the reality is you’re probably freaking out about how badly you stuffed up. You’re entering a new stress phase: post-exam, pre-results stress.
A little bit of pre-exam stress can help you perform, but significant post-exam stress? Uh-uh. No way. This can be detrimental to your mental wellbeing. Here’s how you can ensure old mate exam stress doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Don’t talk about it
“What’d you get for this question?”
“How’d you go?”
These are the types of discussions you’re likely to hear as you exit the exam room. Sure it can be comforting to have SOME post-exam discussion, but resist that full post-mortem exam breakdown. Hearing how others answered questions can add unnecessary pressure to an already uneasy situation. You don’t know the correct answer and nor do your friends. So it’s best to avoid that post-exam discussion altogether. As they say, ignorance is bliss.
Don’t look through your notes for answers
We’ve all been there. In a desperate bid to reassure yourself that you actually did know what the hell you were going on about, you scour your notes for the answers. This will almost always end in heartbreak because A – You got the question wrong or B – you didn’t fully answer it.
Re-reading your notes will only make you second guess yourself and make you think you could have written something better. But there’s no point in playing the “woulda, coulda, shoulda” game. It won’t get you a HD and it sure as hell won’t make you feel any better. Don’t beat yourself up.
Accept lack of control
Letting the exam consume you is like smashing your head against a brick wall when you’ve got a headache, it really isn’t going to help.
Avoid revisiting the exam like a broken record and learn to accept it’s no longer in your hands. What’s the worst thing that’s going to happen? You fail the subject? Sure it’s not the ideal situation, but the sun will still come up. In most situations you’ll be able to either sit the exam again or re-take the course. Coming up with a plan B will help you feel more in control. So whilst it’s not the ultimate position to be in, you’ll still be able to achieve your goals. Just don’t lose faith in your abilities.
Avoid getting on the piss (at least immediately anyway)
Heavy drinking immediately after an exam may seem like the ultimate stress reliever but it can actually have a detrimental effect on how you handle stress in the future. Although a short term stress reliever, in the long run it can contribute to depression and anxiety, thus making stress harder to handle.
Instead try exercising. Physical activity produces endorphins which are natural painkillers that boost your mood and make you more productive. Aerobic exercise in particular has even been proven to decrease stress levels.
So instead of picking up the bottle, hit the gym.
RELAX
Easier said than done but it’s YOUR time now. Don’t let results stop you from enjoying your holidays. While it can be hard to wind down and relax when you’ve got another exam coming up, when you’ve completed your final exam it really does pay to unwind. Not only does it help beat post-exam blues, but it will rejuvenate you for the next semester and ensure you come back bigger and better than ever before.
So yes. You will be OK. And you will survive results day no matter the outcome. Don’t let the post-exam blues get to you.
Bridget Kerry
Bridget is a peach and avocado enthusiast and studies Journalism and International Relations at the University of South Australia.