Coping mechanism with exam pressure?

PictureFrame

So, this is probably one of the strangest threads i've ever made here but i'm actually freaking out about something. You know when you get stressed/nervous/upset or whatever and you can do things to sort of deal with them and process them in your mind? Well whenever I get really stressed about something, I start laughing. Hysterically. This is not a joke, not some type of weird cry for attention or whatever, but seriously do any of you guys know how to deal with something like this?

For example- during the French Pre I didn't understand a word of the comprehension, I literally had to leave the exam hall and ask to go to the bathroom. Once I was in the bathroom I was convulsing in laughter and 'sniggering' so to speak about the situation I was in.

Same thing happened with the French Orals and Music Practicals, I had to leave the Waiting room before I went in because as I was starting to pis* off and freak out some of the other students.

I honestly don't know how to deal with it. My Parents know and have told me i've done it since I was younger (same thing happened as a close family member's funeral apparently a number of years ago).

I really don't want to get my Exams cancelled or mess up my chances of getting the course I want because of a stupid quirk.

I've told my Guidance Counsellor and she suggested 'Rescue Remedy' to try and relieve my nerves. Does anyone have any other suggestions as to anything and I literally mean anything that can help me stop laughing when seriously pressurised?

*I do realise how stupid this sounds and I don't really know where else to post it, so if you can help me please comment, if not just ignore! Thanks

Wkds

I'm usually fairly calm, but in the odd occasion when I get stressed out I find that slowing down my heart rate by taking deep breaths and thinking blankly

ChemHickey

PictureFrame wrote: »

So, this is probably one of the strangest threads i've ever made here but i'm actually freaking out about something. You know when you get stressed/nervous/upset or whatever and you can do things to sort of deal with them and process them in your mind? Well whenever I get really stressed about something, I start laughing. Hysterically. This is not a joke, not some type of weird cry for attention or whatever, but seriously do any of you guys know how to deal with something like this?

For example- during the French Pre I didn't understand a word of the comprehension, I literally had to leave the exam hall and ask to go to the bathroom. Once I was in the bathroom I was convulsing in laughter and 'sniggering' so to speak about the situation I was in.

Same thing happened with the French Orals and Music Practicals, I had to leave the Waiting room before I went in because as I was starting to pis* off and freak out some of the other students.

I honestly don't know how to deal with it. My Parents know and have told me i've done it since I was younger (same thing happened as a close family member's funeral apparently a number of years ago).

I really don't want to get my Exams cancelled or mess up my chances of getting the course I want because of a stupid quirk.

I've told my Guidance Counsellor and she suggested 'Rescue Remedy' to try and relieve my nerves. Does anyone have any other suggestions as to anything and I literally mean anything that can help me stop laughing when seriously pressurised?

*I do realise how stupid this sounds and I don't really know where else to post it, so if you can help me please comment, if not just ignore! Thanks

When you open the paper, close your eyes and breathe deeply for 5 seconds. Just tell yourself that you've the work done and it's just your time to show off!

I usually say a prayer my dad taught me, it always helps calm the nerves. But you mightn't be religious so don't worry about that.

I'd be apprehensive of taking anything strange before the exams- nasty sideeffects could occur! imagine being drowsy in English paper 2!!

You probably have all the work done, so you just need to tell yourself that. on the day, don't panic. if you don't understand a word, look at it for a few seconds and try and dissect it. often bigger words are made up of easier, small words.

Sure, you'll be grand they say.

finality

Squeezing the area just sort of inside your collarbone near your shoulder can help relax you. I don't remember where I was told this but it actually helps. It's hard to describe the place, I think there's a muscle there. Squeeze the muscle. :L It sounds weird but I used use it before public speaking competitions in fourth year and it helped.

Mysteriouschic

Go in feeling confident and don't open the paper and freak out and think that you can't do it the worst thing to do and believe that you can do well and feel yo've done enough study.

Chuchoter

I'm really into all that visualizing and deep breathing stuff. I imagine all the feeling going to my feet and into the floor and I think just concentrating on one thing rather than the tornado of OH GOD LEAVING CERT!EQUATIONS!POINTS!NOOOOOOOO!! going on in my head is destressing.
Also, yoga. Youtube is your friend! The other thing I plan on doing is having those weird little affirmations written at the top of the paper to bring my head back down, like everything is going to be fine. Then you can keep looking at it everytime you feel like you're going to explode!

I'm going to turn into one of these mad holistic hippies when I'm older aren't I? :S

Overature

Fapping!

Cosmic.Postman

Overature wrote: »

Fapping!

I concur.:)

JonnyMcNamee

finality wrote: »

Squeezing the area just sort of inside your collarbone near your shoulder can help relax you. I don't remember where I was told this but it actually helps. It's hard to describe the place, I think there's a muscle there. Squeeze the muscle. :L It sounds weird but I used use it before public speaking competitions in fourth year and it helped.

Is that not what the sleeper hold is if you squeeze hard enough? :pac: Wouldn't want to be unconcious for the exam

finality

JonnyMcNamee wrote: »

Is that not what the sleeper hold is if you squeeze hard enough? :pac: Wouldn't want to be unconcious for the exam

Lol! I've never squeezed that hard. :pac: Don't squeeze that hard OP :L

spurious

Get as much good quality oxygen into yourself as you can before the exam. Absolutely no smoking (if anyone still does that).

Slow, controlled breathing - in for seven seconds, out for eleven seconds. Become aware of all you can feel - your feet on the floor, your arms on the desk, your bum in the chair, your shirt against your neck. All the sounds and smells, then slowly, concentrate only on your breathing.

It takes about two minutes.

Stalin and rugby

Tugs the night before are absolutely crucial..

hollingr

exercise. get a punch bag or some pads and unleash the fury

Wesc.

What I do when I'm preparing to do an exam, such as my French oral, I just think to myself "I'm going to show this examiner how good I really f*cking am" because I know, if I have prepared enough, that I'm ready for the exam and I'll want to show off all I've got. I just think of all that effort I've put in and I just really want to make sure it's worthwhile. So PF, when you go into that exam, you go dominate and do the best you can! After all, you can only do your best


If it helps, you could also try request to have your own room for the leaving cert if that's possible? I'm sure people using scribes will need one, so perhaps you should enquire to get your own room? Well it's something to look into anyway.

spurious

Wesc. wrote: »

If it helps, you could also try request to have your own room for the leaving cert if that's possible? I'm sure people using scribes will need one, so perhaps you should enquire to get your own room? Well it's something to look into anyway.

That's a really expensive option. The OP would need a diagnosed condition that made a separate centre necessary.