28 Oct 2014

“What if I don’t get the marks I need?

What if my life doesn’t turn out the way I have planned?

What if I end up a failure?”.

As exams approach, you begin to question yourself and the overall direction of your life–that’s when the anxiety kicks in.

So what is anxiety exactly?

Anxiety causes you to feel a combination of extreme emotions such as nervousness, fear, apprehension and worry and can take a toll on your mental and physical health, affecting how you feel and behave.

You may notice that you have had these feelings and I want to reassure you that, especially around this time of year, you are not alone. It is very common to feel burdened by the pressures of exams.

During my HSC I felt like I was trapped inside a well, I could see the light, but it was so far away. I would constantly doubt myself and fear what the future held for me. What made it worse was that I felt like I was the only person who felt like this. Turns out, when I began to speak to other people and open up about how I was feeling, that they were feeling anxious about the exams as well.

The most common reason why a lot of us felt that way was this–the anxiousness derived from thinking that the exams were the be all and end all. If we failed a test, we failed at life. Well, I now know that idea couldn’t be further from the truth and almost everyone who has finished their HSC would assure you this.

A mark does not define you and it certainly does not define what you can and cannot do in life. That’s part of the reason why we, Year13, do what we do. We want you to know that, even though a certain mark may help to pave the way to get you to where you want to be, and get you there a little bit quicker, there are always other pathways to take to get you there.

Also, maybe not getting the mark you need may be a blessing in disguise.

You may find that a few years down the track, you are grateful that you didn’t end up going down that path because you found something even better to do. I know I did.

Generally, having anxiety is just really shitty. But you don’t have to go through it alone. Whether it stems from exam pressure, social or romantic relationships, family issues or a traumatic event, there is always someone there to help you through your anxiousness or any other negative emotions you may be experiencing. You can talk to a friend, a family member, visit your school councillor, contact us at Year13 or even call one of the following helplines.

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Lifeline: 13 11 14
SANE Mental Illness Helpline: 1800 688 382
BeyondBlue: 1300 22 4636

There is no need to work yourself up over these exams and bury yourself in anxiety. All you can do is try your best because your best is always good enough.