Waiting for test results can sometimes be like having a bad dream, especially if you have doubts about your answers. If you feel pressured after taking the exam, don't worry! There are several things you can do to deal with it, for example, by calming yourself down, reducing stress, and living life as usual.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Calming Yourself and Coping With Stress
Step 1. Take a few deep breaths
Stress and anxiety puts your body in a “fight or flight” mode which will increase adrenaline levels and make you warm up shorter and faster. Cope with the stress response by taking deep, calming breaths.
- Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach under your lower ribs. Pay attention to the abdominal and chest muscles that expand as you inhale.
- Take a deep breath through your nose slowly for a count of 4.
- Hold your breath for 1-2 seconds and then exhale slowly through your mouth.
- Repeat the above steps 6-10 times/minute for 10 minutes.
Step 2. Perform gradual muscle relaxation (Progressive Muscle Relaxation [PMR])
PMR is one of the most useful ways to deal with tension and stress. Stress and anxiety make the muscles in your body tense without you knowing it. PMR is done by consciously tightening and relaxing muscle groups, starting from the head to the toes. PMR helps you relax your body if done with the right technique.
- Find a quiet, distraction-free place. Wear comfortable clothes so you can breathe deeply.
- Do PMR starting from the facial muscles by training the forehead muscles. Raise your eyebrows, hold for 5 seconds then relax. Curl your eyebrows as hard as you can, hold for 5 seconds and then relax. Enjoy this relaxation for 15 seconds.
- Do exercises for the lip muscles. Tighten your lips for 5 seconds then relax. Smile as wide as you can for 5 seconds then relax. Just like the previous step, enjoy this relaxation for 15 seconds. Try to recognize the different sensations between relaxed muscles and tense muscles.
- Continue this exercise by tightening the muscles for 5 seconds, releasing and then relaxing for 15 seconds for the muscle groups of the neck, shoulders, arms, chest, stomach, buttocks, thighs, calves, and soles of the feet.
- If you don't have time to do PMR for the whole body, focus on the face because the facial muscles are most strained.
Step 3. Don't think about exams after exams
Some people feel comfortable discussing their answers with friends, while others prefer not to talk about them at all. Even if you feel fine, talking about the answers in detail only creates anxiety because you can no longer change anything and create unnecessary stress.
Discussing answers after the exam is also bad because stressful conditions will interfere with brain work. You also can't think calmly and rationally if you just finished the exam because you should rest first. Chances are your work will feel worse than it really is
Step 4. Take time to exercise
You may be reluctant to work out at the gym or jog after your exam, but physical activity can relieve stress! When you exercise, your body produces endorphins, which are natural pain relievers that trigger feelings of happiness. If you experience stress after taking an exam, do some aerobic exercise, such as running, swimming, biking, or jogging.
Regular aerobic exercise has been shown to relieve stress and tension, improve sleep quality, and improve mood. For those of you who don't like to exercise, regular light exercise makes you feel more comfortable
Step 5. Relax by having fun
Whatever the outcome, celebrate your hard work during the exam. Reward yourself by doing fun activities, even better if you invite friends.
Research shows that one way to deal with stress, relax, and foster a sense of happiness is to spend time with friends and loved ones. A study even proves that being with people you consider "close friends" can reduce levels of the hormone cortisol, which is a stress hormone in the body. Make plans to travel with friends or get together with family after exams
Step 6. Do something that makes you laugh
Laughter is the most effective medicine because it triggers the production of endorphins that make you feel happy and increase the body's ability to withstand physical pain.
Watch a funny movie or favorite comedy show. Look at pictures of cute cats on the internet. Anything that makes you laugh can help with stress after a test
Part 2 of 2: Think Positive
Step 1. Don't feel sorry for yourself
Regret is like the sound of a broken record being played over and over again because you keep thinking negative thoughts about yourself that are useless. It's normal to regret something, such as after taking an exam, but remember that regret does nothing but trigger anxiety. To stop thoughts that seem to be playing a broken record over and over again, do the following:
- Try to solve the problem. Worrying about having a bad test result won't change what you've already done, but it can keep you from performing well in the future. If you're still worried, think about concrete things you can do to take the next exam. This way makes you try to take positive action for the future.
- Know what you're really worried about. Often times, stress after an exam is actually stress for other reasons, such as fear of not passing or worrying that you'll sound stupid. Identifying your real fear helps you face it and gives you the awareness that you can overcome it.
- Make a schedule to think about the problem. Take 20-30 minutes to think about what worries you after taking the exam. Give yourself a chance to think about the issues that are weighing you down, instead of ignoring them. Set a timer and think about your problem. If the alarm has sounded, divert your mind to things that are positive and productive.
Step 2. Determine when the test scores are announced
Test scores are usually announced on campus or at school, but many schools/universities also announce test results via the internet.
- If the test results are sent by post, make sure you have provided the correct address.
- Don't check the results of the exams that will be announced via the internet before the allotted time because downloading every 5 minutes does not make the test scores appear faster, but only makes you more stressed and anxious.
Step 3. Spend time with positive people
Research shows that people transmit emotions to each other like the flu epidemic. You will be even more stressed if you hang out with people who are anxious about their exam results.
Spend time with people who can control stress, but don't talk about exams or problems. Take the time to discuss positive and fun things
Step 4. Remember the things that strengthen you
The human brain has a strong negative bias so we tend to focus on the negative and forget about the positive. Work on finding and believing in your strengths to overcome these negative biases so that you can be fair to yourself.
Make a list of things that you are good at and that make you positive. For example, if you have studied well, acknowledge that as your strength
Step 5. Remember that you can only control your actions, but you can't control their consequences
You've studied well and taken the exam, the rest is out of your control. Letting go of the things you can't control will go a long way in reducing stress.
Step 6. Make three written plans:
plan A, plan B, and plan C. Whatever the outcome, you'll feel better prepared if you've made a plan with the scenario you want the most and several possible scenarios. Make a plan A if you answer the exam questions well. Make a plan B if you think you're not doing well on the exam, but not so badly. Make a plan C to anticipate the worst case scenario.
- For example, if you recently took your high school final exam, plan A: pass the exam with good grades and want to attend SMPTN; plan B: pass the exam with an unsatisfactory score and still want to enroll in a state university, but must prepare to take the SBMPTN; plan C: did not pass the exam and had to repeat class XII.
- If you recently took your final semester in college, plan A: pass the exam with a high GPA and take all of the following semester's courses; plan B: pass the exam with an unsatisfactory GPA and take part of the following semester's courses; plan C: fail the exam and take a short semester to improve grades.
- Also talk about your plans with your parents and friends so you get objective input. At times, anxious or disappointed people tend to make unwise and irrational decisions!
- You can relieve stress by rationally considering worst-case scenarios. Think about the worst that could happen and ask yourself if you can handle it. The answer is almost always “yes”.
Step 7. Make plans to hold a celebration after the scores are announced
Think of a fun thing you want to do on announcement day so that you have something to look forward to, instead of worrying about the results of the exam.
Step 8. Prepare for the next semester
After relaxing and making plans for the celebration, start selecting and organizing notebooks, textbooks, or worksheets in preparation for the next semester. In addition to easing the burden of thinking about waiting for test scores, you don't need to panic because you wait until the last second to start a new semester.
Don't forget to rest before you start studying again. Give your brain a chance to recover and be ready to learn again
Step 9. Open the test results in your own way
There are those who like to share their exam results with friends or parents, but there are also those who prefer to be alone. Don't let other people force you to share your exam results if you don't want to.
- Make sure you are ready to accept the results, including the worst. People tend to want to avoid unpleasant experiences, but you'll want to know how well you're doing on exams. Don't procrastinate just because you're afraid.
- If you can't see your test scores on your own, ask someone else to see and share the results with you. Sharing experiences with friends is usually beneficial for yourself as well.
Tips
- Don't flip through notes to find out the answers to exam questions because what you've written can't be changed anymore.
- If you remember a small mistake while doing an exam, forget it and think positively. Small mistakes do not have a big effect in determining graduation.
- Know that you are not alone because many people experience stress from waiting for results.
- Remember that your life and health are far more important than exams whose results you may forget.
