You've just finished your last exam and the sweet sense of relief hits you as you walk out the door...only to be replaced with a feeling of anxiety. Post-exam stress is real and while you may think your worries will end when you put your pen down, it's common for them to fester after completing your exams, no matter how well you think you've done. If you're suffering from post-exam stress now or think you may have it in the future, we've got some tips to help you out.

Post-exam stress is when you're feeling anxious and stressed about how you did on an exam. You might be feeling anxious about your answers to those last few questions and you're now questioning if you might fail, or you keep comparing answers with other classmates and can't stop thinking about them.

We don't mean to forget about what you've learned, obviously. But we do mean forget about your exam after you've finished it. Don't rehash answers and please don't compare answers with other classmates, as that will make you stress even more.

Do something fun straight after your exam, whether that's going out with friends, watching Netflix or baking a cake. Doing something you enjoy can help you to forget about your exam and de-stress at the same time.

Even just for a couple of hours, volunteering can help you gain a fresh perspective and a broader outlook on life. Help out at a homeless centre, at a secondhand store or deliver meals to people in need. By the end of it, you may find that you haven't thought about your exam results at all.

Now that your exams are all over and there's no need to pull any more all-nighters, you can finally catch up on all the sleep you've missed out on. Getting adequate sleep can help stablise your moods and improve your mental health.

Even if you do get your results back and they aren't what you would have liked, just know that it's okay. Take a deep breath and reassess your options, can you re-take the exam or do you have to redo the course? Discuss your options with family, friends, and your uni counsellor or lecturer.

If you feel like you're still struggling with your post-exam thoughts, then it's wise to seek support from a professional, that could be a GP, psychologist or someone from the Sonder team.

If you have any questions or need extra support, we're here to help you anytime in any language. Simply start a chat with us via the home screen of the Sonder app.

Information sourced from: Skills Academy

Photo by Ben Mullins on Unsplash

All content in Sonder's Help Centre is created and published for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional.