As Leaving and Junior Cert students enter the second week of exams, Turn2Me, a national mental health charity have issued advice to students on how to mitigate negative effects of doing exams.
Fiona O'Malley, CEO of Turn2Me, commented on how exams can affect student self-esteem:
"Young people can feel huge pressure to perform well in the Leaving Cert. These exams play a huge pivotal performance in their lives because the results determine which college courses they can do, which can impact their careers. The Leaving Cert results can also affect how young people feel about themselves and their capabilities. Students often worry about disappointing their parents or family members."
The charity have advised students to think of exams as an opportunity to show what they have learned, rather than a scrutiny of their abilities. They have also recommended that students get plenty of sleep, and to avoid procrastinating to in-turn avoid feeling stressed.
In addition, Turn2Me are encouraging students to use deep breathing techniques if they feel panicked during an exam. They are also reminding students that not doing well in the Leaving Cert is not the end of the world, and there are always other options if things do not go the way you would like them to.
Finally, students that are feeling overwhelmed can sign up for the free Exam Stress support group which is run by Turn2Me every Thursday at 6pm.
