Who says end of year and semester says, for students, exams. The ordeal can be feared in many ways. There are revisions, of course, of a program that we have followed more or less well. And then the tension of the big day, the discovery of the subject, the time limit, and the wrist that gets hot. But once they leave the room, the students are not at the end of their troubles. They plunge into another stress: that of waiting for results. The helplessness they feel at that moment even turns out to be more oppressive than the potential discovery of their failure. Logical, it is more stressful to face an uncertain situation with a known negative outcome.
Elise Kalokerinos and Ella Moeck, professors at the universities of Melbourne and Adelaide respectively, followed 101 psychology students in Belgium before and after receiving grades that would determine their future in this course. Their study helps identify thought patterns to avoid when waiting for results. It also proves that students who accept their emotions as they come, without judging them, wait in a more positive state of mind than others.
Their first advice is not to sell off the bear’s skin before you have missed your shot. To reduce the impact of stress, we generally like to re-evaluate the situation, that is to say, consider it under more favorable auspices in order to gain something positive from it. For example, a student could interpret his failure as an opportunity to pull himself together. This can be a good state of mind in hindsight, when you have to deal with a real outcome. But Elise Kalokerinos and Ella Moeck notice that students using a priori re-evaluation feel worse during the wait than others.
Another recommendation: spread your concern sparingly. When we feel bad, it is natural to want to share your emotions with others. However, our teachers find that the more students talk about their stress while waiting for their grades, the more their anxiety increases. This can be explained by the fact that this sharing only serves to vent or complain, which leads to a vicious circle. Or because the friends who listen to them are just as worried about waiting for results.
Identify, experience, accept
After the “don’ts” come the “do’s”. In place of early defeatism and contagious worry, Elise Kalokerinos and Ella Moeck advocate acceptance as the most beneficial approach. Emotions indeed lose their grip when we accept them, as shown by several studies. This is an opportunity to embrace the reality of the situation and let your feelings take their natural course, rather than swimming against the tide.
In order not to drink the cup, acceptance must follow three steps. First, even though it may seem silly, you have to notice and identify your emotions. Realize that “I’m stressed,” or “angry,” or even that “I’m ashamed.” Then, these emotions must be fully felt. They hurt, but trying to control or avoid them is counterproductive. In the same way, and this is the last step, they must not be judged. Experiencing them is completely normal and reasonable.
The study by our two professors shows that, as counterintuitive as acceptance may be, it is what will best help students brave the tides of waiting for results after an exam. A state of mind which also works just as well once the notes are known, whatever they may be.
Source: www.slate.fr
