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Ask Sam

Topic My science exam 

Question

To Sam 

01/06/2011 8:18pm 

My science exam 

Hey, at the moment I'm really worried, Sam. I'm in my first year of high school and my end of year exams are coming up. I have one next week, when we go back, a science one, actually and I'm really nervous. I've been revising every day and my mum tests me everyday as well and it just seems to run away from my brain, as if it's mocking me, I feel like it's just going 'Haha, you'll never do any good in this exam anyway, see ya later, sucker!'

I am quite clever if I say so myself, I get high levels and that but I've never been this nervous before. I actually cried once and took it out on my mum. Yes, the exam is making me feel bad but with the exam being on my birthday just makes me more upset. I shouldn't be scared and nervous before I go to school on my birthday, should I?

Please help!

From B xxx.

Sam's answer

Sam 

06/06/2011 3:29pm 

Hi there

Exams can be a really stressful time – especially when they’re some of the first you’ve taken in a new school. Revising and taking exams is something that everyone finds their own way of coping with and you’ll get better at knowing what works for you as you go through high school.

It sounds like you’ve been feeling stressed by the exams you are taking at the minute and that this has been affecting other parts of your life. It sounds as though you wish you hadn’t taken things out on your mum, I’m wondering if you have found any other ways of coping with nerves since then? Maybe it would be useful for you to have a look at a section on the ChildLine website called “Beat exam stress”.  Feeling nervous and anxious before an exam is perfectly normal. Why not take a look at the top tips for beating anxiety? These step-by-step methods aim to help you relax and hopefully will help you feel more confident towards your upcoming exams. There's also a really helpful page on The Site that gives lots of advice and tips about how to deal with your exams. 

Having a birthday on a school day can seem like a bit of a drag – and having an exam on that day perhaps even worse – but think about how you’ll feel once it’s done and you can enjoy the rest of your day. You could also talk to your mum about setting a date after your exams when you celebrate your birthday in the way you would like to, without any stress. If you do this, it’s almost like having two birthdays!

Whatever happens it’s really important to us here at ChildLine that you feel able to cope with things. There’s always someone to talk to – either online or on the phone – and you can find out how other young people deal with the stress of exams on the ChildLine message boards.

I’m so glad you wrote to me, and hope that you use ChildLine more in the future.

Sam.

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