Managing Test Anxiety and the Causes of Tension

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The Department of Healthcare and Counseling of Student Affairs Division at PMU organized a workshop entitled Managing Test Anxiety and the Causes of Tension that was held on December 18, 2013.
The student counselor, Mr. Sabri Almansi presented a workshop aimed to help students improve their academic performance and to manage pre-test anxiety.
The workshop focused on the students’ psychological and academic readiness for the end of fall semester tests with special reference to test phobia, anxiety and tension. These psychological issues can easily cause psychological pressure and decrease their performance during the exams.
The students were informed that test anxiety is an understandable emotional state that occurs before and during tests. This state manifests itself in psychosomatic symptoms such as, tension, sleeplessness, erratic behavior, irritability and even attention deficit disorder.
To decrease the causes of pre-test anxiety Mr. Sabri explained some important solutions to help students efficiently prepare for exams. These included a study scheme, time management, study skill techniques, test preparation, and relaxation exercises.
The students found the workshop very useful and showed a great deal of interest. Indeed, the majority of them gave positive feedback on the workshop and asked for more to be conducted in the future.
As a counselor I walked around a lecture hall while teaching stress management to students. As I raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on my face, I inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?”
Answers called out ranged from 3 to 8
I replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”
I continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”
It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night.