Year 12 and EXAM STRESS

What it is..

What is does….

How to manage it……

Iva FilipovskaSenior School Counsellor

What is it?

STRESS

A reaction that happens when real or outward demands made on us go beyond our ability to cope.

What happens?

normalalarm

resistance

exhaustion

What does too much stress do to us?

PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES

heart pounding

headaches

indigestion

skin rashes

cold hands

sleeplessness

oversleepingnauseadiarrheastomach painstight musclespain

What does too much stress do to us?

EMOTIONAL CHANGES

moody

irritable

depressed

anxious

angry

nervous

emotional

loss of humour

What does too much stress do to us?

BEHAVIOURAL CHANGESforgetful

loss of concentration

poor judgement

disorganised

confused

lack of interest

stop thinking

negative self-talk

Where does stress come from?

STRESS

personality

thinking style

significant life event

school demands

person/place fit

belief system

expectations

How do we control stress?

LOCUS OF CONTROL1. Move away from the stressor

2. Change the stressor

3. Cope with the stressor

Body Mind

FLIGHT OR FIGHT RESPONSE

Getting Into The Ballpark

Courses of Interest 2011 Where? ATAR2011

Minimum TEA

Art (BA)

Computer Science

Engineering

UWA 80 250.2

Psychology (BPsych) Curtin 70 225.6

Arts/Law combined

Science/Law combined

UWA 97

85

315.3

263.4

Education ECU 65 214.1

Caution: You should aim as high as you can because “Scaling” can raise or lower your scores and may have an impact on the average % you were working on.

TISC on 9318 8000 for more information

SCORE DESCRIPTION• of 75 or more represents excellent achievement• between 65 and 74 represents high achievement• between 50 and 64 represents satisfactory achievement• between 35 and 49 represents limited achievement• of 34 or less represents inadequate achievement.

Physical strategies

Diet – making healthy choices

Sleep – restoring a normal pattern of sleep

Exercise

Relaxation

Breathing

Psychological Strategies

Structured problem solving

Keeping exams in perspective

Positive Affirmations

Normalise

Self Praise

Some Year 12 Affirmations

“I’ve done all the work in class. The exam is just another piece”

“I’ve not failed things before”

“I’ll do the best I can and I’ll be fine”

“I’ve had plenty of practice, I know what to do.”

“Everyone who is doing the exams is feeling like I am.”

“I’ll get through this.”

“I am in control of my reactions”

“I am grateful for what I have”

Days and weeks before

Diet

Sleep

Exercise

Relaxation

Breathing

Generate affirmations

The night before

Finish study by early evening

Read, TV, music etc.

Early to bed

Organise pens, calculator, equipment

Body scan

Engage your affirmations

On the day

Normalise the start

Breakfast/ lunch

Arrive 15 minutes before

Avoid anxious peers

Breathing exercises

Body scan

Affirmations

In the exam

• Read questions – analyse and interpret what question is actually asking

• Identify easy questions – brainstorm responses

• Practice good time management

• Affirmations

• Anxiety lessens with time

• Mental block? – stop, breathe, positive affirmation

After exam

• Do something to wind down

• Do not discuss questions and answers with peers

• Self praise

• Add/rewrite affirmations