Stressing Out After The Exam

"What Did you put for number 9?"

It is so easy to get overwhelmed with stress AFTER you take a test. After all, many students rush to compare their answers with others, but if you do this, you know it’s a double edged sword. To begin with, it’s only reassuring when you have the same answer, but usually, there are discrepancies… and that’s even MORE stressful!

So how can you handle this? Well – success is all about adopting the right strategies for yourself as a student. That means making sure you don’t fall off the performance wagon because you are too busy feeling stressed out.

My advice? Don’t compare answers after tests except on special occasions. After a test, first do an internal check. Ask yourself how you think you did. Then, listen for the answer. A small voice inside you is either saying "yeah it went ok" or "I messed up on this one". Tuning in to that voice will save you time and grief.

Here’s the reality – you can change NOTHING after the test is over… so why expend the energy THEN? Save your energy and use it wisely. That means, come to terms with the fact that the test is over – and went well (or didn’t), and re-focus your energy elsewhere. I bet there was something you wanted to do that you had to put off while studying. Well, get to it! Now’s your chance! Or maybe you have another test coming up. Time to focus on that.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that some people like to basically debrief after a test – they want to talk it out, hash it out with their friends. That’s OK, but only if it helps you.

If it makes you more stressed or sends you into a tailspin, it is definitely a habit to break.