Midterm season, a period of stress and pressure has officially arrived at Hampton Bays High school. Students are facing essential examinations that are required in order to prepare them for the rest of the year. This intense period requires stress relief tips and patience, as midterm stress is an issue that’s commonly seen among students no matter the grade they’re in.
The midterm gives teachers a heads up on what they may need to go over again in order to help prepare students for the Regents that take place at the end of the school year. A midterm allows for students to get familiar with what the Regents or an AP exam is going to look like so that they’re not unsure about what they are going to get into the day of the Regents. While it is great to be prepared for the state and College Board exams coming later in the year, the not-so-fun part about this is that it takes a huge amount of personal time, and as some students would say, joy.
Sharon Garzon Duenas, a sophomore at the Hampton Bays High School, believes that these midterms are extremely stressful and believes that they shouldn’t be held at all.
Experts at the Mayo Clinic claim that it’s completely normal to feel nervous before an exam. These feelings help you think clearer and even pay better attention. They also, however, talk about test anxiety. This anxiety is when you begin to excessively worry and begin to doubt yourself. This can prevent you from paying attention and focusing as it makes you feel a sense of panic. This terrifying sense of anxiety can occur to absolutely anyone at any time, any place no matter the situation they’re in. This stress is seen among young children, highschoolers, college students, or even adults who may also be going through their own personal situations.
According to the Academic Resource Center (ARC), students experience test anxiety for a variety of reasons. Some students fear their performance won’t be enough to reach their high standards while others may not remember what exactly it was that they were learning in class. They emphasize that in order to combat this, it’s important to take care of your well being, focus on ways to succeed, and of course, ask for help when you’re in need.
Both the Mayo Clinic and ARC offer various tips about what you should do when it comes to dealing with test anxiety. Both sources suggest students to study effectively, take care of their bodies, eat healthy, and exercise. When it comes to your mental health, both sources recommend utilizing relaxation techniques including deep breathing and meditating. They also recommend that students make sure to read the directions carefully so they can manage their time calmly without stressing themselves out and panicking. Seeking help from not only teachers and counselors but peers as well can have major positive outcomes on your performance.
Depending on the midterm schedule, students are allowed to stay home if they don’t have a test that day allowing them to have extra time to study for the next upcoming test or relax. It’s important to have some extra time for self-care because if stress isn’t properly taken care of, it can affect your mental health and prevent you from receiving the hours of sleep that are required. Procrastinating also plays a huge role as it often makes stress worse and creates a bad habit of leaving things until the day before the test. To avoid this common issue, taking note of the amount of sleep you’re getting, food, exercise and breaks is crucial in order to take care of stress properly.
To make times like these a little less sad, the class of 2029 is selling “Exam Grams” as a fundraiser. This fundraiser allows students to send personalized messages of encouragement to support teachers or friends. This small act of kindness not only helps save money for their class but also lightens up peoples day allowing them to feel seen. Small gestures like these brighten the environment with a spirit of motivation during stressful times like these. During these difficult challenges, many students seek advice from friends, teachers, or school counselors.
