Tips for overcoming anxiety (or how I learned to prevent an ulcer)

[Bandwagonesque]

It's a widely acknowledged fact that exams of any kind suck. Any tips on overcoming the stress, anxiety and fear of failure?

 

[jakejake]

I find it if I'm well prepared for the exam, it decreases the anxiety level

 

[Bandwagonesque]

Thanks for registering to provide that insightful and sarcastic comment. I've never been a last minute crammer. I study quite well I think. Perhaps even over-study to the point where my head is swelling with information, and I blank. It happens to everybody... you know your ****, but the stress takes over and you blank 1 hour before you write your exam. Probably a lot of the anxiety is caused by the fact that I've never had anything to fall back on... no inside connections to post-graduation employment, no trust fund or rich relatives, no previous degrees, no long-term job experience in another field, etc. I feel that if I **** up just once, I can pretty much forget about my future prospects.

 

[Quirk]

My $.02:

Don't dwell on negatives like how tough you have it compared to others, what might happen if you screw up, etc. -- focus yourself instead on the positive direction your study is leading towards; edit your recent post accordingly.

And a massage might help. Deep breathing is good too.

 

[Alter]

Stop focusing on the long-term future. Hell, you might get hit by a truck next year anyways. Just study and pass the freaking exam.

To relieve stress...regular breaks to bang your chick or plug in your ax and wail for a bit

 

[soultek]

Originally Posted by Bandwagonesque

I feel that if I **** up just once, I can pretty much forget about my future prospects.

Dang dude, how have you gotten this far? I'd have an ulcer by now for sure. Physical activity does wonders for stress and/or depression.

The only thing that helped me with stress was:

1. running down the clock. procrastinating, sleeping, otherwise wasting time, or even study until the last moment. Then shrug your shoulders and say well, i did all I could..

2. Reason myself into a fake sense of superiority over my fellow classmates. But then again, I was an engineering student and all of our tests were objective and curved..

This might help:

In college it is hard to realize: that 99.9% of what you do on a day to day basis in school will NEVER affect your future life in the real world.

My only regrets regarding college have to do with not partying more, not getting better grades. Oh, and it would have been nice to actually learn more rather than just to cram neccessary exam fodder in my head. But perspective is a ***** aint it?

 

[lance konami]

Stop caring.

 

[tiecollector]

exercise. don't slack. Take vitamins and anti-oxidants.

 

[ratboycom]

Originally Posted by Alter

To relieve stress...regular breaks to bang your chick or plug in your ax and wail for a bit

Well this sucks, My woman is overseas and I sold my electric Bass last year. So please wise sage Alter what am I to do?

My suggestion to the OP is find someone who really cant kick your ass and beat the **** out of them. Helps if its some stupid cocky HS/college student. Or take a shot of whiskey to take the edge off before your test.

 

[Jared]

Originally Posted by ratboycom

Or take a shot of whiskey to take the edge off before your test.
Studies suggest this will work better if you also take a shot before each study session. I kid you not, works with pot, too. Seriously, though, exercise and diet should also help.

 

[Alter]

Originally Posted by ratboycom

So please wise sage Alter what am I to do?

Attachment 2923

 

[Matt]

realise that college is the LEAST stressful that life will ever be - which is why we all miss those days so much - and then get depressed about it.

Personally boxing helps me. Ive just gotten back into it and feel a whole lot better for it. Nothing gets the pressure off my shoulders like thumpin stuff.

 

[ts4them]

Ativan or Xanax

 

[jakejake]

You can take this test to see where you are with your emotional (also physical) health and go from there: https://www.amihealthy.com/consumer/....asp?TYPE=DEMO

 

[Alter]

Originally Posted by jakejake

You can take this test to see where you are with your emotional (also physical) health and go from there: https://www.amihealthy.com/consumer/....asp?TYPE=DEMO