Students must look after their mental health
THE Class of 2020 has already passed a massive mental test having negotiated the chopping and changing that led up to the decision to proceed with a calculated grades option, with the possibility of sitting the exams if not happy with their results.
The Leaving Cert exams create stress in a normal year but given the circumstances surrounding the `will it, won’t it go ahead’ dilemma of 2020, an extra burden was added to the mix. When the Class of 2020 go on to third level education and jobs they will be doing so with a mental resilience their predecessors will not have had.
For no other Irish students before them had to experience such disruption to their daily routines. Study plans had to be torn up and recreated. There were challenges for many with broadband and even accessing a laptop. Some students had to study on their mobile phones in noisy houses.
But no matter how many stumbling blocks were placed in their way, the Class of 2020 managed to continue their studies, and some are still studying, feeling they may decide to sit the exams if they are unhappy with their results.
The fact that many students were still submitting work to their teachers right up until the night of May 7, in full knowledge that the exams were due to be cancelled, says it all about the positive attitude Wexford students have shown in extraordinarily challenging circumstances.
But while some relief came with the decision to go with calculated grades, anxiety and stress won’t necessarily go away as students start to stress out over what is a new predictive grading system.
A 2018 study found that over 44 percent of pupils reported they often or always felt they would never do as well as others in exams; over 51 per cent worried about what would happen if they failed an exam, while 43 percent said they felt nervous and stressed when thinking about doing exams.
The 2020 Leaving Cert is also likely to cause what’s known as `fears around fairness’. This is essentially the fear that a student’s hard work may go unacknowledged within the new arrangements. Students will worry that because of the disruption caused by Covid-19, they will be at a disadvantage. This can be avoided through communication, feedback and reassurance in the coming weeks.
Here’s some self-help tips to note in the weeks ahead:
1. Routine: Nothing is more important than routine when preparing for something that involves mental pressure. Students will be anxious about how their work is assessed, but don’t let this knock you off a steady routine.
2. Avoid gossip: There is enough going on in a student’s mind right now besides having to absorb wayward information. The uncertainty over whether or not the Leaving would take place has been replaced with uncertainty over grades. As much as it can be tempting to let a particular form of gossip validate your emotions, avoid it. Only listen to advice from trusted sources.
3. Avoid burnout: Having to pull back from intensive study at a time when you had expected to be in full throttle can mess with your method of preparation. Don’t fret. See it as an opportunity to relax and ease the pace. Keep up your studies with third-level in mind, but don’t burnout. Learn and revise at a steady pace over intermittent periods and enjoy the summer. 4. Exercise: Get out and keep active. This can be challenging with team sports, gyms and running clubs all prohibited at the moment, so you’re going to have to go it alone. Exercising is great for unilateral thinking but be sure to alter your exercise routine from time to time to include someone who won’t talk about exams or studying!
5. Talk: This is vital as nothing exacerbates a problem quite like not talking about it. There is a lot on your mind right now. Those around you will know this but let them know, verbally, how you’re feeling on occasion. Talking is essential to overcoming deep thoughts and concerns. Don’t add more stress to your load by bottling things up.