Keep cool under school pressure & test anxiety

Have you ever felt super stressed out about school?
Well, you’re not alone. School pressure is something that many go through at some point. It’s important to talk about it, because it can affect your health and well-being and school performance.
Here you will find answers to the following questions:
  • What is school pressure?
  • Consequences of school pressure
  • General tips for dealing with school pressure
  • Test anxiety & how to deal with it

You want to learn how to deal with school pressure?

If you want to learn about and practice what you can do when feeling pressure at school, check out our eSano module "Keep cool under school pressure".

If you ‘re struggling with test anxiety, check out our eSano module "Test anxiety: Tips & support".

What is school pressure?

School pressure is the overwhelming feeling of stress, tension or anxiety that some way or another is related to school. Here you can see different causes for school pressure:
As you can see, school pressure, school pressure comes in different forms depending on who you are and what’s going on in your life. Some people feel stressed because they’re worried about not meeting expectations, when getting a bad grade on a test or not being able to keep up with their classmates. Others feel overwhelmed because they have a lot of things to do – schoolwork, after-school activities, maybe even a job. This can make you feel exhausted as you try to do everything at once. Then there’s the pressure to fit in with your friends and be popular, which can be tough. And don’t forget about the pressure to be really good at everything – like getting top grades, being great at sports, or being an amazing artist. It can feel like you’re always trying to be perfect.

Consequences of school pressure

School pressure can take a toll on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being and affect your school performance:
Mentally, you might feel constantly on edge, like you’re always one step away from a breakdown.
Emotionally, you might experience mood swings, from feeling overwhelmed and anxious one moment to feeling numb and detached the next.
Physically, stress can show itself in headaches, stomachaches, muscle tension, fatigue, … – that makes it difficult to function normally.
And let’s not forget about the impact on your academic performance – all this pressure can make it harder to concentrate, to remember things, to perform well on tests and assignments. It’s like your brain is so preoccupied with worrying about everything else that there’s no room left for learning.
If you ‘re feeling very stressed and want to learn how to relax better, check out our eSano module "Stressed out - what now?".

General tips for dealing with school pressure

If you need more tips regarding time or stress management and practice them straight away, check out our eSano module "Keep cool under school pressure".

It takes time to learn and implement these strategies, so don’t blame yourself if you don’t notice a difference immediately!

If you need more support regarding the school pressure you experience because the pressure is still too much to handle for you on your own, get in contact with the school psychological counselling center in your region (visit schulpsychologie.de).

Test anxiety

If you’re struggling with test anxiety, you might know thoughts like these. You’re not alone! Every sixth boy and every fourth girl reports experiencing symptoms such as sweating, shakiness and irritability before or during exams.

School pressure and test anxiety are often related because pressure and high expectations can cause anxiety. It feels like there is a lot to lose if you fail an exam. This can be super stressful, but there are strategies you can use to help calm your nerves and perform your best:

Change your attitude!

Focus on past achievements Think about the worst-case scenario and plan B/alternative plans

Direct your attention on your surroundings!

Instead of paying attention to your body reactions

Be prepared!

Create a realistic study plan including breaks, activities you enjoy, time for meals and sleep

Learn relaxation techniques!

Breathing techniques (e.g. belly breathing), meditation, …

If you ‘re looking for more specific tips regarding the time (just) before the exam or during a blackout and practice them straight away, check out our eSano module "Test anxiety: Tips & support".