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Like a dark cloud that feels as if it could engulf us whole, fear feeds on our doubt, leading us astray and stealing us from our full potential. With finals right around the corner, stress and anxiety levels are high and fear of failing is foremost on many students’ minds.
Defined by Funk and Wagnalls Standard Encyclopedic Dictionary as “a disturbance of mind regarding some uncertain event,” many people allow anxiety to control their lives.
According to webmd.com, stress and anxiety can have negative effects on the body. Stress can be linked to headaches, insomnia, back pain, even the weakening of the immune system…not too good of conditions for cramming and exams.
There’s good news, however. According to collegencareers.com, there are many ways to remedy final exam anxiety. One such way is to think positive thoughts and not worry about what could happen later. Aiming for perfection might be setting one up for disaster, so try focusing on one task at a time instead of considering the exam as a whole.
Talking about our fear and anxiety to a friend or parent might also help, states the Huffington Post. By verbalizing our fears, we are taking away part of its power over us, which in turn helps us go into our finals with a clearer mind.
Many sources recommend physical activity to help counter anxiety and stress. “Regular physical activity relieves mental and physical tension,” reports the American Heart Association.
Time management is also helpful to reducing stress, relates webmd.com. Schedules can help you get more done in less time, reducing stress and giving you more time for what matters.
As we go into finals with fear and doubt pressing down upon us, remember the famous words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, “the only thing we have to fear…is fear itself.”
