Exam phobia is not an uncommon feeling. Several students deal with it throughout their academic life. They undergo their school and college life fearing exams and correspondingly, deal with anxiety when facing challenging circumstances all through their lives. Students go through sleepless nights and days filled with anxiety and panic, just by thinking of exams.
Exam phobia can be due to various reasons. Trouble in studying, fear of particular subjects, expectations of parents and teachers, lack of self-confidence and the inability to concentrate, all of these can increase anxiety and depression in students, resulting in exam phobia.
Although, it is not impossible to overcome the fear of exams. It needs to establish new habits and change the attitude towards exams to feel less anxious and stressed. Let’s understand what is exam phobia, what are the causes and how to overcome it.
What is examination phobia?
Exam phobia is an unexplained, excessive fear of exams that leads to avoidance of the situation. This irrational fear leads to high levels of anxiety in students and can worsen without any proper help or guidance.
What causes exam phobia?
Exam phobia can be caused due to several reasons, like
- Letting down the expectations of teachers and parents
- Fear of not succeeding in exams
- Representing grades as an impression of self-esteem
- Fear of particular subjects that are considered difficult
- Comparing oneself to others
- Unable to concentrate or remember things while studying
- Negative pondering before or during exams
- Setting up a high bar for oneself
Examination phobia often results in poor academic performance. It also affects their overall mental and physical health and leads to lower self-esteem. Students can overcome the anxiety and fear of exams, but they require a lot of guidance, emotional support and positive reinforcement from parents and teachers regularly. After school programs in India such as Kumon also help students to tackle such fearful situations with ease. With appropriate help from elders and a change in their mindset, students can get over the fear of examinations.
Five useful tips to overcome exam phobia
- Early Revision
Early revisions for the exam will help you complete the course on time. Students will get ample time to revise every topic from the syllabus. In this way, students won’t miss out on any topics and will be well-prepared for their exams.
- Make a Timetable
Every student follows a different way of studying. Therefore, it is important to make a timetable, as per their requirements and preferences. You should also take into consideration the amount of time that students can sit and concentrate without getting distracted. Set the timetable for your child and make them study accordingly and you will gradually notice their anxiety levels will decrease.
- Prepare Notes
While studying a topic or revising a chapter, students must take down notes of important points like dates, people, events, incidents, etc. They can use them while writing answers for making them insightful and impressive.
- Take Breaks
When creating a timetable for the revision of your child, make sure that you allocate breaks in between. Studying for long hours can be tiring for the mind and the body. It also leads to various distractions and loss of concentration.
Therefore, it is important for students to take a break for an hour or two in between and use the time for doing something they like, such as a hobby or just talking to their parents or friends. These breaks will help refresh their minds and improve their concentration and energy levels.
- Sleep Well
A night of good sleep is important for a healthy mind and body. Make sure your kids get an undisturbed 8 hours of sleep every night. Ask them to sleep early and wake up early so that they can sit down to study in the mornings with a fresh mind.
Wrapping Up
Exam phobia occurs due to low confidence and a lack of preparation. To overcome this, motivate your child to practice positive self-talk whenever they feel stress and fear creeping up their spine. They can also practice meditation for 10-15 minutes every day for calming their minds and improving their concentration.
Participating in the after-school activities provided by Kumon helps students burn off excess energy, improve their attention span and stay refreshed while studying. We are one of the best after school classes India. With the help of our customized approach, students can overcome the fear of exams and improve their academic performance in the long run. Contact us through our website to know more.