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• Enhance self-awareness : Be aware of • Do some self-monitoring : This involves yourownemotionsandfeelings.Trytogain constant or periodic evaluation of your past insight into the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of your accomplishments, emotional and physical feelings. states, real and vicarious experiences. A positiveappraisalwouldenhanceyourfaith • Appraise the situation objectively : It has been proposed that emotion is in yourself and lead to enhanced feeling of preceded by evaluation of the event. If the wellness and contentment. • Engage in self-modeling : Be the ideal event is experienced as disturbing, your sympathetic nervous system is activated for yourself. Repeatedly observe the best and you feel stressed. If you do not parts of your past performance and use them as an inspiration and motivation to experience the event as disturbing, then there is no stress. Hence, it is you who perform better in the future. decides whether to feel sad and anxious or • Perceptual reorganisation and cognitive restructuring : Try viewing the events happy and relaxed. Box 8.2 Management of Examination Anxiety For most of us an approaching examination confident and then passing with flying colours. brings about a feeling of a churning stomach and • Inoculation : Inoculate yourself against anxiety. In fact, any situation which involves stress. Exposure through rehearsals and role- performing a task and the awareness of being playing prepares you physically and mentally to evaluated for the performance is an anxiety- face the examination situation better and with provoking situation for most people. A certain confidence. level of anxiety is definitely essential as it • Positive thinking : Have faith in yourself. motivates and pushes us to put up our best Structure your thoughts with systematically listing performance but a high level of anxiety becomes the thoughts that worry you and then rationally an impediment in optimum performance and dealing with them one by one. Emphasise on your achievement. An anxious individual is highly strengths. Suggest to yourself to be positive and aroused physiologically and emotionally, and enthusiastic. hence is not able to perform to the best of her/ • Seek support : Do not hesitate to ask for help his abilities. from your friends, parents, teachers or seniors. An examination is a potentially stress Talking about a stressful situation to a close provoking situation and like other stressful person makes one feel light and helps gain insight. situations coping involves two strategies, i.e. The situation may not be as bad as it seems. Monitoring or taking effective action, and Blunting or avoiding the situation. On the other hand, blunting strategies involve Monitoring involves taking effective and directavoiding the stressful situation. True, avoidance is action to deal with the stressful situation. The neither desirable nor possible in an examination following strategies can be used for monitoring : situation, but the following techniques may prove • Prepare well : Prepare well for the useful: examination and prepare well in advance. • Relaxation : Learn to relax. Relaxation Give yourself ample time. Familiarise yourself techniques help you calm your nerves and give with the pattern of question papers and you an opportunity to reframe your thoughts. frequently asked questions. This gives you a There are many different relaxation techniques. sense of predictability and control and In general, this involves sitting or lying down in a reduces the stress potential of the comfortable posture in a quiet place, relaxing your examination. muscles, reducing the external stimulation as well • Have a rehearsal : Make yourself go through as minimising the flow of thoughts and focusing. a mock examination. Ask your friend to test • Exercise : A stressful situation overactivates the your knowledge. You can also rehearse sympathetic nervous system. Exercise helps in mentally in your mind. Visualise yourself channelising the excess energy generated by this. takingtheexaminationcompletelyrelaxedand A brief period of light exercise or active sport will help you concentrate better on your studies. 134 Psychology Reprint 2026-27