Final Exams and Nerves

[cranappleberry]

Finals are coming up for me next week and I've been exerting myself so much these past few days trying to re-learn the material learned in my classes. Along with this, I have the added pressure of trying to graduate on a timely basis, which means I'm going to have to take up to 18 units for one semester coming up. AND to top it all off, my mom has been anything but supportive for my situation, constantly reminding me that she needs me to hurry up and graduate so that I can get a job to help pay off the mortgages that we're almost foreclosing on.

Sometimes the stress can be so overwhelming while studying that I have to take a break off and just sit, meditate on what's going on in my body, and get back to work.

Tonight I decided to take a valium pill after not taking any for the past few days. I think it has really helped with my shot nerves. Might just drink me a beer or a glass of scotch in a little bit to accompany the valium, even though I know its not good for my gaba's.

Does anyone else have any other coping techniques for these tough and treacherous times?

[Lumo]

Sex. Not joking, it will take your mind of things (will it's a pretty good distraction so should take your mind off things), uses up energy and is relaxing. If not that, then how about some other physical activity? Running, exercise bike etc?

[Hayek]

I've been there so many times in the past. I'm glad those days are behind me.

A valium the night before the exam will help with sleep and calm your nerves. I wouldn't advise taking one the day of the exam as it can interfere with memory and recall, the last thing you need when sitting an exam. If you feel yourself panicking before the exam blow into a paper bag. That does help.


The best advice I can give you, and I know I'm going to come across as a real swot, is revise and revise some more. The more confident you about your material the more relaxed you feel the day of the exam. If you have dates, facts or anything like that that you need to remember print them out and put them on all the walls of you home. You may not think you're taking in the information, but trust me you are, and you'll be amazed by your ability to recall it.

I wish you the best of luck, and hope all goes well for you.

[cranappleberry]

Thanks guys. Definitely going to take up your advice on the exercising, I was planning on hitting the gym today anyway. It feels like my ass is beginning to atrophy away from sitting on the computer chair all day. And as far as sex goes, well, masturbation is probably the only alternative I have to that right now, eheh, sobs...

I've actually have been sleeping pretty well these past few days for some reason, possibly because of the large amounts of mental exertion, and I have been exercising along with it. But insomnia is a sneaky bastard and can come creeping along at random times. Valium helps, but sometimes benedryl works better for putting me to sleep.

And I have been revising and revising. This next week is just going to be a studyathon.

I have a programming presentation and several classes I have to attend to today, so off I go.

[Lumo]

Hope it all goes well cranappleberry.

Good that the benedryl works for you, it sometimes makes me sleepy too but it also makes me groggy for quite a long time, which would impair my ability to study.

[peter12]

Hi,

I try not to dabble in any benzos just before an exam... but thats because my course is mostly based on memorization (medical) and therefore I wouldn't want to induce any memory loss. I wouldnt worry about it though if you take it before you exam and after studying to sleep - in my experience i get the amnesia for things after i take it, not what I did before.

On the exam day - propranolol. Really helps. I remember reading a study once about it... It helps me focus and not jump to hasty anxious conclusions.

[Massiveamounts]

Sex. Not joking, it will take your mind of things (will it's a pretty good distraction so should take your mind off things), uses up energy and is relaxing. If not that, then how about some other physical activity? Running, exercise bike etc?

Yep.....some very physical sexual activity or strenuous physical activity of any type (but hey sex is number one choice imo) will relax you and get remove a lot of that built up tension my friend. Also if you are worried about getting nervous during your exams I would look into beta blockers before I would take benzos because I worry that benzos might make you a bit slow forgetful or out of sorts.

*This post was auto-merged. The following text was added 3 minutes after the last post:*

Hi,

I try not to dabble in any benzos just before an exam... but thats because my course is mostly based on memorization (medical) and therefore I wouldn't want to induce any memory loss. I wouldnt worry about it though if you take it before you exam and after studying to sleep - in my experience i get the amnesia for things after i take it, not what I did before.

On the exam day - propranolol. Really helps. I remember reading a study once about it... It helps me focus and not jump to hasty anxious conclusions.

Just read your post after mentioning the beta blockers, yep propranolol or another beta blocker always helped with performance anxiety.......during exams people not talking about sex although they make meds for that problem too but I've never needed them, I need to decrease my drive if anything lol. TMI huh?

[Keith K Stone]

I would try to get enough sleep, to regenerate the gray matter.
Then I would do the best that I could, to the best of my ability.

[surferfl69]

I started doing some meditation over the past year and it has help calm my nerves down. It takes some practice but it does work.

[Lumo]

I started doing some meditation over the past year and it has help calm my nerves down. It takes some practice but it does work.

If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to learn how to do it properly surferfl69? Did you do it at home or in some kind of class?

[DancingWriter]

You don't need to take a class to meditate Check out YouTube for Mindfulness Meditation and there's a ton of short, guided meditations virtually anyone can do. I highly recommend meditation for stress and anxiety.

[poohluv]

I started taking beta blockers for the situation you were in (propranolol) and they helped for finals but these were junior/senior art critiques that made me shake and skip class sometimes. I saw the doctor again and she put me on klonopin and I never skipped class, but everything I did didn't require too much memorization and it was a small rx at the time.

[cranappleberry]

I'm a business student with an accounting concentration. Most of the work I have to do is repetition repetition and more repetition. I still have some inderal from way back and I'll give it a try, i remember it not having a negative impact at all on my concentration, but didn't do much in terms of anxiety. That was a while ago though when I had it really bad. Definitely not going to show up to my exam zonked on valium, but I might take a little just to calm my neves. I'll probably keep it on hand just in case.

btw, Anyone have any experience with nootropics or modafinil?

[surferfl69]

If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to learn how to do it properly surferfl69? Did you do it at home or in some kind of class?

It didn't take long and it's easy to learn you just have to have a little patience and stick with it. I learned it on my own from books and audio recording's. I read a great book about mindfulness and that has had helped with stress also.

[MojaveJoe]

If you don't have benzo experience/tolerance do NOT take anything even the night before. You could be groggy during your test the next day. However, if you have tolerance, then, of course, a benzo of your choice should calm the nerves

[pinchpot]

As above, exercise will work wonders and I also agree with the sentiment about watching out for benzos without a tolerance. Last thing you want to be is not alert enough during your test.
Good luck!

[MrHankey]

I wouldn't have any benzos anytime near exam, but then, I don't have any tolerance.

As for falling asleep, I sometime use relaxation techniques while in bed. Just deep breathing and focusing on each part of the body, from feet to head. I hate taking any sedatives prior to exams. I like to be as wired as possible; caffeine pills, redbull, and a whole galaxy of.. .. anyway, if I'm too excited to sleep, as can happen sometimes when cramming, this meditation technique relaxes me, and even if I don't get any sleep, I'm still refreshed and ready to hit it after a shower and some food. I save the chill-pills for after ;P

And yeah, if anyone is interested in non-hippie practical meditation, read '8 Minute Meditation' by Victor Davich.

[DancingWriter]

Also, in rare cases benzos can cause paradoxical reactions like rage. Some can cause amnesia. So, unless you're experienced please don't use benzos for important school or work functions.

[MrHankey]

of course, anxiolytics *do* have their place, and in my toolbox that place is during oral exam when you know your stuff

edit: sorry for doubleposting, thought they would auto-merge :-/

[cranappleberry]

Did decent on most exams, but ended up getting torched on my accounting exam, which falls under my major. I could chalk it up to taking a small amount of benzos or a lack of sleep, but more than anything I would have to say its lack of preparation. GAHHH, I have to take this class over again. I wish I was smarter.....