College is the time in a person’s life where one chooses to push themselves in order to further their education.  It is a wonderful achievement to be able to take the next step to find a school, pick an area of study and expand one’s knowledge. However, like every major decision, there are always challenges that lay in wait.  Tests are one of these many challenges that students face, but what many overlook, is just how taxing these exams can be.
Before most students even walk onto campus for the first time, they have likely been lectured many times by their peers to study hard, pay attention and, of course, read the textbooks.  Doing this is incredibly beneficial to one’s grades, but these same activities can seem overwhelming to some, as well as create enormous levels of stress on students.  This stress is something that needs to be managed; the trick, however, is finding the best way to do it.  This skill is becoming even more critical, since it seems that exams are becoming increasingly common to the point where it feels like there is one every few days.
Every student copes with this test anxiety in different ways.  Nick Kempen, a junior psychology major, said that he “doesn’t sleep very well, and instead of trying to keep up with [his] sleep, [he] spend[s] that time trying to study as much as [he] can.”  This tends to be one of the more common symptoms of test anxiety, due to all of the pressure placed upon students to do well on exams, as it tends to have a direct relationship with finding a good job and being able to support them.  Wanting to do well on exams is always a good goal to strive towards, but it is also important to find ways to cope with these stressors.  There are countless ways to find positive outlets to relax and enjoy themselves, though some of the more popular examples include going outside to enjoy nature, spending time with friends and getting involved with different clubs or activities.
These stress relievers are a great way to combat stress; however it can cause temporary damage to the brain.  In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dutch soldiers who experienced live combat in Afghanistan were given cognitive tests where it was determined they had reduced functioning in the midbrain, therefore scoring poorly on these tests as compared to soldiers who were not deployed.  Students and soldiers both experience high levels of stress, and this stress, when left unchecked, can cause the brain to temporarily lack in certain functions.  Therefore, it becomes even more important for students to find ways to alleviate this stress so they can perform even better on exams.
Tests will always be a major opponent to most students when it comes to achieving the greatly coveted diploma.  There are countless ways to combat the stress that accompanies these exams, though it is important that fun is included in the formula for studying if one hopes to succeed.  In the end, in order to work hard, it is crucial to play hard as well.  After all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.