Hey joseph41, this is a bit random. But, what do I do when I get stressed in an exam/sac? Recently, in one of my sacs I became so stressed that I couldn't understand the question and couldn't do it from the extreme time shortage, my heart was literally beating faster than usain bolt running. I could not think properly or calm myself down. So, if u have any tips or advice you would like to share regarding this, would be great! It would be really beneficial for everyone, I think...especially me :')
this has been me in every assessment i've had xD *sorry for hijack*
i see the doctor sometimes and they give good advice that seems to help 
Hi a.t. Thanks for sharing this. I am in a very similar position to you and would also really appreciate some advice on this (especially before exam time).
Thanks for sharing, all. As I said above, I think that this is a really important point to consider. I'll preface this whole post with the fact that I'm not an expert on this. Considering its subjectivity, I think it would be pretty unusual for
anybody to consider themselves an 'expert' in the area. Regardless, I do have some thoughts and experiences that may (or may not) be of use.
My view is that the first thing you should do is try to work out why this is happening. Like, is it due to a lack of preparation? Is it the (real or perceived) pressure? Or is there an underlying issue that needs to be addressed?
Is it due to a lack of preparation?I honestly think that for many people, it's not so much physically doing the exam that makes them anxious - it's more the feeling of not knowing anything. Of imminent failure. I used to be like that some years ago. Like, I'd sort of cruise through the year, because I didn't really feel as though I needed to study anything in particular; then the exam would come, and I'd realise that I didn't know as much as I thought I did. I'm really glad that that happened in my younger years, in hindsight, because it changed my study techniques and, I guess, philosophy toward education.
From the start of Year 11, I went into every single exam knowing that I'd done my absolute best in terms of preparation. I was confident that I could complete the exam to a high level, and turn in something of which I would be proud. Naturally, that made the exam itself
so much easier to get through. I genuinely enjoyed every single one of my 3/4 exams. It wasn't like a "oh shit, my exam is in three days" sort of thing, but a "sweet, only three more days until I can smash this exam" sort of thing.
That's easier said than done, of course. It takes hard work and diligence to get to that level where you feel you're going to 'beat' the exam regardless. But I think it's a really good place to aim for, and obviously helps with exam nerves and the like. So that could be one thing - preparation - to work on in order to help with your mental state whilst actually sitting the exam.
Side note: I think routine is good for this whole process. For my uni exams, say, I follow the same routine every time (in terms of when I get to the venue, what I do the morning of the exam, who I communicate with, and so on). It sort of makes the whole thing a bit more familiar and comfortable.
Is it the (real or perceived) pressure?But it would be ignorant of me just to say "you know, just prepare well, and then it'll all be sweet". Because that's just not the case. Sometimes, no matter how much you prepare, the moment of the exam will just get to you. And that's normal. And common.
In those situations, I have a couple of strategies. The first one is pretty simple. Every exam, I make sure to take in a bottle of water. When I start to freeze or have a mind blank, I take a sip. It's a
really basic thing, but it generally helps to get my mind back on track. Like, firstly, the water is obviously useful in terms of hydration. But it's also good insofar as it breaks your current thought process. Have you ever had that experience where it feels as though you just sort of go around in circles in your head? It could be like "I should do question 3, but oh shit I don't know question 2 - how about question 5? I should do question 3, but oh shit I don't know question 2" and so on. I've found that simply drinking some water is good in these situations.
I've spoken about mindfulness before on these forums, but in this situation, it seems super pertinent. You say you get a really fast heart beat. That's a natural reaction - part of the fight/flight/freeze response. It becomes counter-productive when it's too intense, though, as it sounds it may be in your situation. The cool thing is, though, you can literally focus on slowing down your heart beat. That's why people are like "just take a few deep breaths". It's weird, anxiety; I've personally found that I can control it (to a degree) by trying to regulate my physical responses.
If you feel your heart racing, just take twenty seconds. Close your eyes, sit back in your chair, feel your feet on the floor. Try to focus on nothing but your breath - just notice it. Try not to be judgmental. Just notice what's happening. Take a minute if you feel you need it - take five if necessary. Take comfort knowing that your heart will go back to normal soon; it's a temporary (and natural) response. And that's okay. Let it pass.
Look outside. Enjoy the natural light.
I can personally vouch for this, because I do it. Even when I'm writing essays (like, not in exam conditions), it's really useful. And it's great for non-academic stuff, too, but I digress. If you're interested, I recommend downloading a mindfulness app (I use Smiling Mind, but they're all pretty similar). It can take you through a 'body scan'. It takes like eight minutes. Seriously, it'll be the best eight minute investment of all time.
In exams, you can make a ten second investment. Or a two minute investment. It'll get you back on track, I promise.
Or is there something else?It's worth considering, if you try that and none of it works, speaking with your GP or being referred to a psychologist. There may be an underlying cause. If that's the case, you certainly won't regret asking.
All the best - let me know if none of that was helpful, and I can try to elaborate a little.
And like I say, I'm not an expert, so I look forward to others' opinions on the matter.
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