Assalam o alaikum.

Hello dear friends I hope you are all doing well. I really enjoy writing and sharing my personal experiences in contests. Today i am taking part in the contest about Examination Anxiety. This topic is very close to my heart because i have faced exam fear many times in my life. I want to shared one such experience with you.

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Share a personal story about a time exam anxiety nearly overwhelmed you but you overcame it.

Last semester i had my final exams and i was preparing day and night. I had studied hard but still i was feeling very scared. The night before my anatomy paper i felt like i had forgotten everything. My heart was beating very fast and my hands were cold. I could not eat or sleep. I kepts thinking “What if i fail?” I was so nervous that i started crying silently i didn’t wants to tell anyone because i thought they would laugh at me. But then my elder brother saw me and asked what was wrong. I told him how scared i was. He gave me water and sat beside me. He said “You have studied enough. Now just stay calm and sleep. You will do great.” His kinds words made me feel betters i took a deep breath closed my books and went to sleep. The next morning i woke up fresh. I revised a little and prayed. When i went to the exam hall i was still nervous but i remembered my brother’s words. I started my paper slowly and after a few minutes I felt relaxed i answered all the questions and felt confident. That paper turned out to be my best one. From that day i learned that panic makes everything worse. Staying calm helps you more than stressing too much.

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How exam fear has impacted your academic journey?

Exam fear has affected my academic life in many ways. Many times i knew the answers but i forgot them during the exam because i was too nervous. I would get sick before exams and sometimes i cried for no reason. I avoided group study because I felt others were more prepared than me. This fear stopped me from performing well in some subjects. It also made me doubt my abilities. But slowly i learned to talk about my fear with my family. I started doing deep breathing and positive thinking before exams i still get nervous but now I know how to handle it.

If you could design an exam system what features would include to reduce student anxiety towards examination?

If I could design an exam system i would make many changes to help students feel better. First i would arrange mock tests before final exams. This would help students understand the pattern and feel less afraid. I would also gives 10 extra minutes at the end of each exam for students to checked their answers and relax. The exam halls would be quiet and comfortable and teachers would talk kindly before starting the paper to reduce fear. Every school or college should have a counselor to talk to students who are feeling anxious i would also reduce the pressure on getting high marks. Exams should be about learning not fear. I would allow students to show their skills in different ways like through presentations assignments or oral tests not only written exams. This would help students who are not good at writing but are very smart in other ways.

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I just wants to say that exam anxiety is real and painful. Many students suffer silently. But with support love and a better system we can help each other. I hope my story gives some hope to those who are going through the same situation always remembered doing your best is more important than being perfect. Thank you for reading my story.

I am inviting friends @wuddi @saintpaul17 @abdullah79