Do you often walk out of exam halls with relief mixed with a sudden wave of doubt? We at Delhi Public School Kangra, one of the most trusted schools in Kangra, have seen many students experiencing it after most exams. Even the brightest students aren’t spared from doubt, leading to questions like ‘Did I misinterpret question 3?’ or ‘Should I have expanded more on that essay?’ These thoughts aren’t just annoying; they can easily hijack your mind for days and weeks while waiting for results. It is often termed as ‘post-exam anxiety,’ and it’s more common than you think.
Even if you’ve done your best in all exams, you aren’t immune to experiencing it. The constant replay of answers, second-guessing choices, calculating possible scores, etc., can drain your energy and disrupt your life. Hence, we’ve created this blog post to help students overcome post-exam anxiety. Students should remember the fact that what’s done is done. If it’s still stripping you of your peace of mind, we encourage you to implement the following tips for potential relief.
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Create a ‘Worry Window’
It may sound counterintuitive, but it’s one of the best ways to prevent your mind from consuming you in post-exam anxiety 24*7. This technique requires students to set aside a particular time each day to let their post-exam thoughts flow without control. Let’s say you set aside 15 minutes every day to think about your exam performance.
Instead of letting it make you anxious, use your thoughts to identify what you could have done better and take notes. Try to work on those points so you perform better in upcoming exams. Here, we at Delhi Public School Kangra would like to recommend that when following this technique, stick to this worry window and do not let post-exam anxiety creep in during other hours of the day.
Whenever exam thoughts arise outside this window, acknowledge them briefly and then mentally postpone them, saying, ‘I’ll think about it during my worry window, not now.’ It works because it helps to contain anxiety rather than letting it spread throughout your day.
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Engage in Physical Reset Activities
Whenever post-exam anxiety spirals, your body often gets stuck in a heightened state of alertness. Engaging in physical movements can disrupt this pattern by shifting your nervous system out of ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. Even if you don’t have enough time, a mere 10 minutes of physical activity, such as walking, jogging, cycling, yoga, etc., can help reset your mental state.
The key is choosing any physical activity engaging enough to temporarily pull your attention away from exam thoughts. You can make it easier by creating a ‘reset playlist’ or having a go-to route for walking. These activities always work because they break the physical tension cycle that accompanies anxious thinking, creating space for your mind to settle naturally rather than forcing it to calm down.
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Redirect Your Focus to What’s Next
Post-exam anxiety tends to grow when your mind remains fixated on past events you cannot change. You can fix it by deliberately shifting your focus forward, creating a mental pathway out of this loop. If you’re unsure how to proceed, we at Delhi Public School Kangra would like to advise you to create a visible ‘Next Steps’ vision board highlighting what you want to achieve academically and non-academically. You can also maintain a simple diary where you list the next steps.
Avoid listing steps that sound vague or unrealistic. Whenever anxious thoughts arise, you can consciously pivot to this list. Students can benefit significantly from this technique as it acknowledges that life continues regardless of exam results. It gives your brain something constructive to process, reducing mental resources available for unproductive worry.
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Practice Self-Compassion Dialogue
Surprisingly, the harshest voice during post-exam anxiety is often your own. If you don’t tame it through self-compassion, it can drain your mental and emotional energy. Hence, we encourage students to practice self-compassion dialogue, an act of actively countering negative self-talk with the same kindness you’d offer a friend or a loved one.
Whenever you notice thoughts like ‘I should have studied harder’ or ‘I always mess up during exams,’ pause and ask yourself, ‘Would I say this to someone I care about?’ Then, deliberately respond with compassion. You can say sentences like, ‘This doesn’t define my worth or abilities. I can do even better next time.’
Practising self-compassion dialogue regularly will help shift your perspective, reducing the self-inflicted suffering caused by harsh self-judgment. It will make you more emotionally equipped to handle whatever outcome eventually arrives.
Conclusion
We at Delhi Public School Kangra, one of the most trusted schools in Kangra, understand that post-exam anxiety may make you feel paranoid, but it doesn’t mean something is wrong with you or your efforts. It’s simply your brain doing what it’s designed to do. Whenever outcomes are uncertain, our minds naturally try to regain control by analysing possibilities repeatedly. The waiting period between exams and results creates the perfect environment for rumination because there’s an information gap your brain desperately wants to fill. So, if you often find yourself surrounded by post-exam anxiety, consider the tips discussed in this blog post, and you will definitely find considerable relief. Try them out!