As of last year, over 32 crore students were hit by Covid-19 as schools and colleges were shut. Covid19 brought out virus fear but also the struggle to keep up with the syllabus, battling exam stress, and future admission prospects. Thousands of students who registered for SAT, MCAT, LSAT, GMAT, and other professional exams, are stressed out because their exams have been postponed.
Most people have burnt the midnight oil and have made lots of sacrifices to pursue their dreams. Therefore, not being able to perform after all the hard work is quite frustrating. Students feel mentally drained and with the recent conversations around the board exams has bought feelings of anxiety, concerns and worry for both parents and students.
We understand it is a confusing time, here are some ways to ease these feelings:
- Anxiety is natural: It is very important to understand that it is completely natural to feel stressed and anxious during unfavorable times. One should never look down upon oneself for feeling low.
- Love yourself: It is important to develop positive self-concept. Even if we are not able to achieve our targets because of the lockdown, believe that good days are yet to come. We need to take care of our mental health. Don’t forget that we are worthy of love and care.
- Give yourself a break: If you feel that your brain is on overdrive, the best way is to distract it. There are a lot of indoor activities to choose from during your study breaks, you can watch movies and TV series you’ve put on hold, read a book, do a short exercise routine.
- Reach out to your support system: During the uncertainty of when your exams will be scheduled, may be having multiple thoughts. Reach out to people whose company you enjoy, vent to them or have a chat with them.
- Turn to music: Listening to specific genres in music can help us relax and feel stress-free. When we listen to soft and instrumental music, our muscles and mind relax, heart rate and blood pressure decrease and stress hormones reduce. As a result, we feel calm!
- Exercise: Exercise can stimulate your brain to release endorphins, hormones that help relieve stress and produce a feeling of well-being. Regular exercise is extremely essential for a healthy body and mind. It also helps reduce cortisol, the main stress hormone, and lets us sleep well.
- Practice being in the NOW: We cannot control what is going to happen in the future but in the present, it is important to soothe our nerves & calm our mind & body with simple ways like having a cup of aromatic tea, listening to soothing music or whatever works for us at individual levels, so we can focus on the requirement of the present moment to reach our goals.
The anxiety is natural but these simple steps can help reduce the stress and help you feel better about yourself.
Reach out to a counsellor to know more about how to manage stress, anxiety and deal with burnout.
Call/whatsapp Ms. Seema Agarwal: +91 98205 76682