Are you anxious about the college entrance examination? Let's hear what the experts say

It's June again, and as the college entrance examination approaches, many candidates have begun to feel anxious.

Anxiety is not necessarily unhealthy - sometimes anxiety reminds us that we need to focus and seize the time to fill in the gaps, and we have the ability to do these things. At this time, anxiety is adaptive and does not need to be dealt with.

However, sometimes anxiety can envelop us like a dark night, making us restless, distracted, and even affecting our sleep.

The anxiety at this time needs to be dealt with. So, facing such anxiety, what should candidates do?

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1. Adjust your thinking

Thoughts are the product of emotions, and when thoughts change, emotions may also change.

The first idea that needs to be adjusted is to blame yourself for anxiety. Candidates should realize that it is a very normal phenomenon to experience anxiety before the college entrance examination. Their situation is not an isolated case, nor is it unacceptable. Therefore, there is no need to feel ashamed or blame yourself for experiencing anxiety.

The second idea that needs to be adjusted is the fear of failing the exam. In a learning society, learning is something that needs to be continued throughout life. Although the college entrance examination is important, life is a long journey. Compared with the result of a single exam, it is more important to study persistently. Believe that even if you really fail the college entrance examination, although it is not a good thing, it is not too bad, and it does not mean that your life has failed.

2. Keep learning and try to keep pace

Some candidates relax just for the sake of relaxation and try to cope with anxiety by staying away from studying. This is not the best state for exam preparation.

When you feel anxious, if you have a suitable handle in real life to "attract" your attention, the anxiety will be relieved.

This starting point is best related to study. You can choose a subject that you like relatively and start reviewing to get yourself into the state slowly.

Some candidates may use video games as a way to relieve anxiety, but this method may lead to higher levels of anxiety. Relatively speaking, seriously devoting oneself to study can not only better relieve anxiety, but also put oneself in a better state of preparation for the exam.

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3. Get your body moving

Moderate exercise can excite the body and thus effectively relieve negative emotions.

If you have the habit of exercising, you can continue to do it before the exam; if you don’t have the habit of exercising, you can choose any sport that interests you.

If you really can't think of a specific activity, maybe walking or jogging is a good start. Before the big exam, it is important to exercise in moderation. It is not recommended to exercise too much to make the body too tired.

4. Seek help

You can talk to the teacher about your situation. Experienced teachers will help students develop a study and life plan that is suitable for the candidate in the last period of time.

It is also a good choice to seek help from the school’s psychologist. They are not only suitable people to talk to, but can also provide some techniques for dealing with anxiety.

In addition, you can also talk to your parents about your anxiety and get emotional support.

5. Try to breathe deeply

For those who have no experience in deep breathing, it is hard to believe that breathing techniques can solve troublesome problems such as anxiety.

Deep breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Once this system is activated, people can experience a sense of physical and mental calm, thereby relieving anxiety.

Normally, we breathe through the chest, which is relatively shallow. When we are anxious, our breathing becomes even shallower. The deep breathing posture usually adopted by untrained people is to first take a deep breath, so deep that the shoulders are raised, and then exhale the air quickly and forcefully, and the shoulders also fall. This posture is not standard.

In fact, deep breathing requires a little training. Before starting deep breathing training, whether standing or lying down, you can put your hands on your abdomen. First, take a slow and deep breath until you feel your stomach bulge; if possible, do not exhale the air immediately, stay for a few seconds, and then slowly exhale the air all at once. Repeat this for ten minutes, whether you open your eyes or close your eyes, you can significantly improve anxiety.

Author: Wang Kui

Associate Researcher, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Second Class Psychological Counselor

Editor: Guru