Why do some people always perform exceptionally well in the college entrance examination every year? Learn this secret and you can also excel

When you think of the college entrance examination, do you imagine a scene of "thousands of troops crossing a single-plank bridge"? In this big test of life, there is often an invisible but tangible "weight" - pressure. But do you know that pressure is not always a bad thing? Learning to face and accept pressure may make our preparation for the exam easier and more interesting, and you may even perform better than usual!

01 Why do we always make mistakes at the most critical moment? Find the source of stress

In the field of psychology, stress refers to a physical and mental reaction of an individual when facing threatening stimuli. As the famous psychologist Hans Sely said: "Stress is not a state, but a non-specific reaction of an individual to any demand imposed on him." College entrance examination pressure is also a special form of stress faced by many students. Parents' expectations, teachers' attention, classmates' competition, and their own uncertainty about the future are intertwined to form an invisible force.

Some people may have faced fewer or more single stressful situations during their growth and have not received enough training to resist stress; some people may set too high standards for themselves and always worry that they will not be able to achieve their expected goals, thus failing to focus on the matter itself, which ultimately leads to unsatisfactory results. This experience of failure can make people feel more stressed, leading to fatigue, panic, anxiety and other discomforts, or even emotional breakdown and frequent mistakes.

02 Wisdom under the double-edged sword: How to manage stress on the road to the college entrance examination

When we talk about the relationship between stress and performance, we often come across an interesting graph - the inverted U-curve. This is not some mysterious magic symbol, but an interesting tool used by psychologists to describe how we perform under pressure.

The inverted U curve states that when we are under too much pressure, we may feel anxious and unable to concentrate; when we are under too little pressure, we may feel bored and lack the motivation to face challenges. Imagine that you are standing on a huge trampoline, ready to take a thrilling jump. At one end of the trampoline is the "no-pressure zone", where it is quiet and you feel relaxed. However, when you are ready to jump, you will find that you are not motivated enough and the height you jump may only be above your knees. So, where is the best jumping point? I believe you already have the answer.

Excessive stress can indeed easily lead to some emotional problems, but the impact of stress is not entirely negative. Moderate stress can stimulate our potential, improve our work efficiency and ability to cope with challenges; it can also keep us alert, improve our concentration and reaction speed. Finding the right stress level for yourself is the key to maintaining good performance and helping us complete the most exciting jump.

03 Learn these tips to easily manage the stress before the exam

You should understand that the key to coexisting harmoniously with stress lies in how we view and deal with stress. First, face stress. Instinctively choosing to escape from stress can keep us away from danger to a certain extent and bring us a sense of security. But this approach cannot solve the problem. On the contrary, it may make the situation worse and the stress will increase. Face stress bravely and confidently, and believe that you have the ability to cope with it.

Secondly, try to adjust your mentality and give yourself more positive psychological suggestions on weekdays. Psychological research shows that positive self-suggestions help improve an individual's psychological quality and ability to cope with stress. When facing pressure, we must learn to shift our attention from worry and anxiety to positive and optimistic aspects. Avoid fatigue before the college entrance examination, put aside the past tactics of the sea of ​​questions, ensure adequate rest, and meet the challenge in a good state. You can also try to give yourself positive suggestions, tell yourself "I can do it", "I am ready", and pay more attention to the preparations you have completed to enhance your self-confidence.

At the same time, we should try to restrain the idea of ​​comparing with others and pay more attention to ourselves. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Comparing with others will only increase unnecessary pressure. Maintaining good living habits, regular work and rest, healthy diet, proper exercise, etc. will help stabilize the physical and mental state. If it is really unbearable, find a place where no one is around and talk loudly, which will also help relieve our stress.

Finally, I want to emphasize that although the college entrance examination is regarded by many as a critical turning point in life, we should not forget that it is also an unforgettable experience in our youth. The key is to face it positively. I sincerely hope that all students who are about to take the exam can achieve satisfactory results and realize their life goals. Come on, you are the best!

author:

Tang Yicheng, China Science Popularization Expert, Secretary General of the Science Popularization Committee of the Chinese Psychological Society

Wang Xiang Chief Writer, Beijing China Science Popularization Center for Mental Health Promotion

Reviewer: Fan Chunlei, Associate Researcher, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Produced by: Science Popularization China

Produced by: China Science and Technology Press Co., Ltd., China Science and Technology Publishing House (Beijing) Digital Media Co., Ltd.

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