The exam period is a universal challenge for students, often resembling an emotional rollercoaster. Between academic pressure and personal expectations, stress can quickly calmly and effectively. By adopting healthy study habits, you can help your child mitigate stress and optimize their results.
Organization and planning
Starting early in preparing for exams is a winning strategy. To establish a detailed schedule, it’s essential to understand the expectations for each exam, allowing for the determination of tasks and planning of study time accordingly. This empowers your child to manage their time confidently. Such planning will give them a greater sense of control and decrease the intensity of stress during this period. It can also help combat procrastination. Once the schedule is well organized, it’s important to stick to what has been planned. As a parent, you can offer support based on your child's age and level of autonomy.
Self-awareness
When organizing study sessions, it’s important for your child to consider their strengths and limits. Identifying what is easier for them and what requires more effort will help better estimate the time needed for different tasks. It’s also preferable to start and end with easier tasks to boost motivation. Experiencing successes encourages persistence. This self-awareness develops over the years, supported by the adults around your child.
On exam day
The night before the exam, a review of the most important elements is recommended. For your child, this is not the time for long study hours, let alone an all-nighter. The priority is to ensure their brain is well-rested:
- Eat well
- Sleep well
- Engage in physical activity
On the day of the exam, arriving early and preparing materials can reduce stress. Simple techniques such as deep breathing, stretching, stress-relief objects, drinking water, and positive thoughts can help maintain calm. Before starting the exam, reviewing all questions helps avoid unpredictability and reinforces the feeling of control.
To help them overcome stress:
- Remind your child of their successes.
- Encourage effort rather than focusing solely on results.
- Remind them that their worth in your eyes is not determined by academic performance.
- Incorporate meditation and mindfulness exercises into their daily routine, especially during the exam period.
- Normalize stress and remain attentive to their needs.
- Have realistic expectations and avoid comparing with others.
- Instead, compare them to themselves in terms of growth and goals.
In conclusion, the exam period can be stressful for students, but it can also be an opportunity to learn to manage stress positively. With your support to remain positive and realistic, your child will adopt effective strategies that build their self-confidence.
References *in French only
*Clere, N. (2014). Comment gérer son stress avant les examens. Actualités Pharmaceutiques, 53(536), 37-40.
*Snigurova, T. A. (2020). Comment éviter le stress lié à un examen (Doctoral dissertation).