Hey, okay. So you're stressed out. Believe me I always get stressed out before exams or if I've completely forgotten a homework. Well, it's a good thing that I had a really good science teacher in my first and second years of high school. She knew that I got really nervous before a test and she gave me some tips on how to keep calm.
Okay, so picture this: As you sit in a classroom filled with other people your age and there's a teacher at the front of the room handing out maths exams. You get handed yours and you think, 'Alright, I'll be fine I did LOADS of revising. I'll do really well...' Everything is going great and smoothly until you turn the page and see a topic you didn't realise would be on the test because no one told you, not even the teachers. You haven't done that much of it in class and even when you did it was about three months ago. Your mind racing with negative thoughts and all you can say to yourself is: 'what am I going to do?! If I don't answer these questions, it's about 10% off of my mark!!' so you start to panic, your breathing gets quicker and shallower. None of your classmates notice you and the teacher doesn't either.
So, what you do is:
1. Imagine you are in a place where you are most comfortable and happy. For example maybe your bedroom or the local library or even the beach; wherever you are at your happiest.
2. Now let's get your breathing fixed. Take deep breaths in through your nose out through your mouth. When inhaling count to seven and then while exhaling count to eleven. Keep repeating this until you can feel your breathing getting steadier
3. Now think of your body as a massive weight, now picture your head count to ten and with every number imaging your head getting lighter. Now do the same with your chest. Now your arms and legs and finally your feet.
This should calm you down and help you to keep a level head.
Another thing I've discovered for stress is this:
(This one is more for at home not school or work!)
If you have somewhere that is relatively safe to keep things you should put these things in it:
1. Have your favourite movie to watch (also helps with sadness
2. Have your best friends phone number handy so you can talk to them about your problems (also works for loneliness)
3. Have calming or soothing music to listen to (also works with anger.)
4. Have a comfort blanket or o stress ball (also works with worry)
5. Have your favourite book handy to read through and to make you smile
6. (This one may sound silly but it works!!) Have a teddy bear handy, too because you never know when you might need a cuddle (also helps with loneliness.)
