“WHAT… The exam is when…? But I’m not ready… what am I going to do…?”
If the fluster-fest of exam stress is making your temperature rise and your concentration dwindle – stop. Focus. And breathe.
Everyone has their own way to revise or has a routine to help store years’ worth of encyclopaedic knowledge. We’ve all experienced a stressful situation. But the ones who succeed and ascend above the chaos, are the ones who can find an inner confidence and produce their best.
The Stress Zone
A high lofted ball has been launched towards Victor and he manages to shrug-off one of the defenders with a cunning side-step. His body is facing the goal-post, his head is tilted at 180 degrees in view of the plummeting spherical rock approaching.
Siti, a focused and driven individual, with a flair for the arts, is sitting in an atmospheric box-shaped auditorium. The room is filled with the hopes and expectations of thousands of other applicants. Siti is still waiting patiently while trying to distract herself by rehearsing her lines over and over in her head. Her anxiety is escalating with each breath she takes and her toes begin to fidget with anticipation.
Victor’s left-foot is fully extended and his majestic touch greets the ball from the heavens. The crowd falls silent, inhaling with excitement! The goalkeeper gulps at what he’s just witnessed.
The door slams open, and an auditionee comes running out riddled with disappointment. Siti’s hands are fiercely clenching the application form for the final audition of Singapore Idol. This could be the launch pad to propel her into the limelight, her stomach is in knots, and her parents are in the audience waiting expectantly.
An adrenaline fuelled member of the opposing team leaps to clear the ball from Victor’s feet, but in doing so only manages to ensnare Victor’s legs in the process.
PENALTY, cries the referee.
As Victor places the ball firmly on the centre spot, the pressure starts to build with each second that passes. The goalkeeper shoots a red-hot piercing glare at Victor’s attempt at making the goal. The ball rests beneath his feet as he repels the goalkeeper’s advances. Just before Victor takes those three prominent strides backwards he begins to strategise how he’s going to combat his fear, the crowd’s expectation and his overriding hunger to score.
But, just then, Victor remembers the years of training prior to this moment and the mist begins to clear. The goal shooting area starts to look bigger, the muscles in his leg start to relax and the crowd seems to fade away in a distant memory.
The name “SITI” is bellowed across the noisy room, followed by “YOU’RE NEXT.” Her heart flutters with excitement, yet the panic threatens to overwhelm. Then, without force or prompt she recalls all her previous auditions and finds this concentration pool of solace in her mind. She shakes off the burden of her self-doubt. Only three steps lay before her as she makes her stage entrance in front of hundreds.
The examples of Victor and Siti might sound dramatic, but hey, our exams are probably just as extreme! There are lessons here that we can learn from football and singing. Just three steps to remember to overcome exam stress (or any scenario that stresses you out):
The first step: take several deep breaths in, and out, to channel all the negative energy to one point. Then exhale those adverse feelings from the mind and body. Embrace a new re-invigorated and positive attitude.
The second step: picture the exam (or ball, or audition) ending in success. Believe in your own ability. Draw from all your hard work devoted to this test.
The third step: be completely alert and ready to face the challenge ahead. Get sufficient rest before the exams, and ignore the instinctive reaction to over-analyse every impossible detail. Don’t let self doubt cloud your judgement. Try looking at this as a great opportunity that can be turned around to your advantage.
Dear readers, do share with us your revision tips!
