Stress less during year 12 exams with Headspace tips

Youth mental health foundation Headspace provides advice on handling stress during year 12 final exams.

Transcript

00:00Year 12 can often be the most stressful part of a student's life.

00:05There's a lot of expectations that young people put on themselves,

00:09and there's a lot of perceived expectations that they feel

00:12from the general community and from their parents that this is it.

00:16But stress doesn't have to control your final exams,

00:20and in fact a little bit of pressure can even be helpful,

00:24according to Australia's National Youth Mental Health Foundation, Headspace.

00:29Stress is something that can keep you focused,

00:32helps you with your concentration, increases your energy,

00:36increases your motivation.

00:38But too much stress can actually have a reverse impact

00:42on your study behaviours and potentially on your exam results.

00:47I don't want to do this anymore.

00:49It's your last exam. You're nearly done.

00:51No.

00:52So how do we know when students have reached an unhealthy level of stress?

00:57Some red flags include erratic behaviour, difficulty sleeping,

01:02and increased irritability.

01:04That's when it might be time to take a step back.

01:08Parents can play a key role to support students

01:11to maintain that healthy lifestyle.

01:14Encouraging study plans, taking regular breaks,

01:18and reassuring your children about expectations can go a long way.

01:23Parents making sure that their child knows that they are worthy,

01:28no matter what the results of their exams are.

01:31Also, be aware of negative self-talk and try to switch it around.

01:36I can do this. I've got this. I'm going to just do my best.

01:41With the right strategies, year 12 doesn't have to always feel overwhelming.

01:47You just need to strut out there and earn your shit.

01:53University of Waterloo

01:58www.uwaterloo.ca