Struggling with exam stress? Dr Preethi Galgali reveals her secret weapon in the second episode of Health For You! Find out the SQ3R method — a powerful technique to ace your answers and boost your memory and many more tips.
Published Jan 30, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 30, 2025 | 10:58 AM
Parents nagging to study all the time can end up further stressing the child. (iStock)
As exam season approaches, stress levels among students rise significantly, often leading to anxiety, burnout, and even physical health issues.
Dr Preethi M Galagali, Director and Adolescent Paediatrician at Bangalore Adolescent Care and Counselling Centre, spoke to South First in its health podcast “Health For You” and suggested that managing stress effectively is crucial for academic performance and overall well-being.
She spoke on a comprehensive guide to handling exam stress with practical tips to focus better, remember answers well, build study skills and much more.
“Stress is a way of life. It is how one manages that. Eustress challenges you to do better and distress can put you down. The emphasis one gives to marks can be considered a starting point for stress about exams. If this is considered as a celebration, a festival, a joyful way of learning then there wouldn’t probably be distress,” explained Dr Preeti.
Dr Preeti said that as children reach the adolescent age group, from 10 years of age onwards, there is a change in the brain. There is a high emotional reactivity, there is also the development of the reward centre.
They are high on emotions and also seek rewards. An adolescent who is judged only based on the marks in exams, which is considered the only marker, then the self-esteem of the adolescent, if he/she is not doing very well in academics, could be down.
Therefore, it is important to encourage not only academic pursuits but also non-academic extracurricular pursuits. These could include music, dance, sports, etc, which give them the dopamine kick.
The reason is that the pre-frontal context of the brain, which controls emotions and rewards, matures only in the late 20s.
Also, in medical terms, it is called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis and adrenal axis. They determine the stress response, which is very immature during adolescence.
“So, whenever we see there is distress there is a hormonal storm and if we don’t teach them stress management techniques, there will be havoc. 12 percent of suicides among adolescents are due to academic performance,” Dr Preeti said.
She said, poor study habits are a common issue in about 50 percent of Indian schoolchildren. To improve performance and reduce stress, students must adopt organised and consistent study strategies.
Dr Preeti emphasised that success in academics is rooted in discipline, organisation and persistence.
Listening in the classroom:
Taking and reviewing notes
The Cornell note-taking method is recommended:
Time management
Identify time-wasting activities to maximise efficiency:
Concentration skills
Enhancing memory
Memory can be divided into:
Techniques to remember: Use mnemonics, mind maps, and flashcards for easier recall and review material regularly (daily, weekly, monthly). Use the SQ3R method for textbook comprehension.
This method is especially effective for subjects like science and social studies:
Revising and preparing for exams
Dr Preeti insisted that one should start revisions at least a week before exams, address doubts by consulting teachers early, and use self-tests to assess preparation.
Exam taking strategies
One day before the exam:
On the exam day
During the exam
Parental role:
