The end of the school year is here and many events are coming up, among them final exams. It is a strange combination that always shakes us as students because there are many mixed feelings: nerves, shock and insecurity. But there is a more powerful enemy that can be stronger than us if we fail to control it: anxiety.

Many young people will be affected by this feeling that generates fear and tension. According to a study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 41.6% of college students who receive counseling services are treated for anxiety. But do we honestly know what anxiety is? Or is it the exams that cause such an unpleasant feeling in students?

The American Psychological Association describes anxiety as a “feeling of tension, nervousness and other physical symptoms, such as increased blood pressure,” which means that there are several factors that overwhelm our minds daily.

Students naturally experience test anxiety, a common result of feeling pressured to get the best grade and get the most out of academic endeavors.

Anxiety can bring even more grave consequences if it is not treated properly. Undoubtedly, the arrival of final exam week increases anxiety levels due to the important weight that the grade has on our performance.

Our stress levels rise to such an extent that we cannot concentrate, and we feel like there is not enough time for us.

Anxiety happens because we do not plan our time. it spreads because we leave everything to the last minute and try to learn everything in record time. The simplest and most practical recommendation is to keep track of the subject from the beginning of class, make a calendar that is always visible and write down the main ideas.

This will allow us to keep in sight what we have learned, and when that great moment of testing arrives, everything will be easier to understand.

Do not forget all the resources that exist to help ease this anxiety, such as counseling services, which provide us with all the tools we need to help us complete the semester. And never feel weak for asking for help. Feel stronger for knowing how to recognize that we can handle all that life throws at us, but not at the same time. As Michelle Obama said, “Asking for help is not synonymous with weakness, it is synonymous with strength.”