On one hand, Academic Pressure can be a motivation for students. It can have a significant influence on students because it helps students get out of their comfort zone to try their best while studying. On other hand, Academic Pressure can also turn into stress which causes students to feel burdened, leading to a downgrade in academic performance in the long term.
In the last blog, we have discussed The Causes of Academic Pressure, so we want to dive deeper into the detrimental impacts it may have on students and how to manage them.
You can read that blog by clicking here.
The Effects of Academic Pressure on Students
1. Obsession with grades
Due to Academic Pressure, students can get extremely competitive in terms of getting the top result. The urge to get an A-plus or a “100/100” mark for any tests constantly makes the study journey of students feel like going to a battlefield. It is beneficial to have a determined mind and strong spirit to study, but in a long run, this will lead to burnout—a condition caused by excessive and cumulative stress.
2. Lost Interest In Studying
In contrast to the first effect, academic pressure can hinder students’ enjoyment of school and study in general. This might be a continuous influence of stress because prolonged exposure to anxiety will inhibit students’ self-motivation system.
Students who become unmotivated might develop to be more laid-back and less ambitious. They might become self-conscious and passive because of insecurities and the belief that they are “not good enough”. These thinking and mindset might prevent them from being confident and determined which are more likely to decrease their performance at school
3. Poor Sleep Quality
After night and day trying to gain the best results, students’ physical state can be damaged. Depending on what students did to extend their studying time, they might experience insomnia—in which students find it troubling to fall asleep, or they do not receive enough sleep for a long period of time.
Because having quality sleep is important for memory and the mind, sleep disorders might reduce students’ concentration in class. In the long run, this can degrade their memory system and the ability to withstand difficulties.
How To Mange Academic Pressure
To start, we recommend you to always keep track of your schedule, especially your timetable (not just for school but also your extracurricular activities plans or any deadlines) because by doing so you can measure the balance between time spent on studying and relaxing. After one or two hours of diligent concentration, students should unwind themselves to recharge needed energy to continue. This will prevent you from studying too much without proper rest.
Second, implement positive habits into your routine. This might sound a bit abstract, but it is more common than you think. It can simply start by exercising which helps to relieve physical and mental stress, or writing a gratitude journal to get your anger and frustration out of your mind to focus on the present moment.
For me personally, I reflect on my failure by doing self-talk, which enables me to see my mistakes and recognize factors that I can and cannot control. Then, I will focus on what is on my reach, for example, to study more for a Biology section that I tend to forget. The reason this helps me a lot is that it reduces my self-critical habit. As it differs from person to person, you should find and try what positive method suits you.
These tips are built based on both personal and collected experiences from different people on ways to stay away from extreme academic pressure. Last but not least, we want to remind you to be patient with yourself and take the necessary time to recover from anxiety and burnout from studying.
Sharing your burden and thoughts with someone will help refresh your mind, so we recommend you find a trustworthy person with whom you feel comfortable disclosing your vulnerabilities.
And for parents and caretakers, it is better to remember the well-being of students are extremely vital for the development of their mind. Try to set a realistic goal that is suitable to the student’s capabilities. Student-centered education is definitely recommended.
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