Guest Blogger: Joan Couling - Handling Exam Stress

Posted on July 13, 2012

The dreaded word…Exam!

I had made the decision to return to school, and find a way to make a transition into a whole new industry. With that decision and a lot of determination I was off and running. There have been class assignments, term papers, research papers, projects and conferences with the education professionals. Due dates to make and try not to miss.


In the mean time I have also been running my business, raising a teenager, gardening and trying to find a bit of a social life I live for stress, and for the most part I do fairly well. Here I am the self- confident, self- assured woman that had grown up and decided to find a “real job”. Suddenly with the end of my first set of courses that dreaded word EXAM had appeared. Somehow that word single handily transported me back to the terror of high school diplomas. My head ached, hands were sweaty, breathing was shallow and I was afraid that I would forget everything I had just learned. All these nervous emotions simply because of the thought of that one single word.

I suppose that the rational side of me took over momentarily and I did what I had done before, I decided to research ways of coping with the stress of taking a final exam. The following article was one of the most helpful to me.
Read the article EXAM STRESS

There is a lot of great advice out there for exam writers. Some colleges and universities even offer exam boot camps and classes on exam preparation. Here are some of the main tips I learned:

• Talk with your advisers and discuss your fears with them
  
• Remember, you are NOT alone.
  
• Eat right
  
• Get a lot of sleep and plenty of exercise
  
• Remember to breathe!
  

I have now written 4 final exams and I am about to write 2 midterms. I write my finals in the next few weeks. With each exam the stress becomes less and the word exam becomes less dreaded. I am no longer the high school girl, but the woman in the midst of transitioning to a new career.

Keep your head up and remember to breathe, life has so many tests every day. In school they just put a different name to them and call the exams.

Thanks for following my journey! I’ll be keeping you updated, and I KNOW you can do this too.



About Joan Couling:
Joan Couling has been a journeyman hairstylist for over 15 years. Aside from traveling the world seeking out new adventures and living her most important adventure as a mom, Joan has found inspiration in the stories and lives of other women who are at a crossroads in their careers and their lives. Joan’s latest adventure is one of transformation, working on her business management degree and looking forward to making a career change of her own. Is it easier said than done? Follow Joan’s continuing story here on Womensweb.ca. You can see some of Joan’s professional styling work at http://www.facebook.com/RazorsEdgeByJoanCouling


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