students – Sukrity Sharma

During my studies in my bachelor degree, I had to do an academic research like I am doing in my Master’s program. So, this a glimpse of my finished work and the findings of my research.

This was my thesis “psychological state of the student while appearing for board exams. (+2 students perceptive)” focuses on identifying the factors that mostly effects psychological well-being of the students and how it effects in the preparation for the board exam as well as if the college provides any such facilities to overcome the effects.

Such group of the college students goes under psychological factors that effect the state of the student while appearing for the board exam due to the examinations, their self-expectations, competition with the others, their parent’s expectations, pressure from college and pervious school life and their family background causing academic stress and anxiety. But, however, it is not that all the students are effected as some of them complete their college without any pressure. They take this pressure as a motivation and encouragement to work hard. This is only possible with the support of teachers, friends and family guidance.

A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used in the current study –. Surveys were completed by the college students. During the survey, majority of students reported that they are mainly effect from factors like the examinations, their self-expectations, competition with the others, their parent’s expectations, pressure from college and pervious school life and their family background causing academic stress and anxiety among the students. In a detailed central section of thesis provides vague information on the psychological phenomena with the factors contributing the cause and effect, from the theory and from the context of Nepal perspective. Here, the thesis draws on a number of sources from books, journals and other resources on the information. In conclusion , the thesis argues the issues is an essential problem that should be deal with as they are the future pillars for the development of the country .This thesis hopes to offer all the future researchers useful information regarding the issue and thus make a small contribution to improving the general standard of bachelor’s thesis.

Findings

The Findings precisely deal with the analyzed data accumulated during the research and gives overview of the analytical situation of the area of the study. It closely indicates the situational context of the study and gives way forward to the recommendations. It is based on the responses of the 110 respondents who filled the questionnaire during the field survey.

Some of the findings of the study can be given as follows:

It seems all the respondents represent the college students; stated as the student who attends the education for the Higher Secondary Education in Nepal, under the Higher Secondary Education Act which aims to prepare skilled human power for the development of the country. Most of them were from 11^thstandard.

The respondents mainly represent Hindus, Buddhists and Christians.

The respondents mainly represent Brahmin, Chettri and Newar.

Many respondents attend the day College and studies at least 1 to 2 hours and 2 to 3 hours at home. While there were only few respondents who doesn’t study at all.

Most of the respondents are happy to go to college and do not have any complains about their college , as most of them are encourage by all factors i.e. good teaching style, playing games , good friends circle , for the sake of bright future and friendly teachers . Likewise, there are some who are encouraged to go to college because of good friend circle and for sake of bright future. But however, few of them answered with multiple factors that encouraged them to go to college.

Most of the respondents seem to have excellent relationship between their parents. In which most of them always share about their exams with their parents and some do, when they are ask about it.

The respondents seem to study their subject matters on their own choice rather than forced due to their parents’ will.

Many the respondents seem to have 5-6 subjects that need to be studied in their courses, whereas some have more than 6 subjects. In which, most of them find subjects like physics, mathematics and chemistry difficult to study. However, they do not get homework every day.

The respondents face an effect of time management and the attitude of the students in the preparation for the board exam.

It seems that respondents are mostly affected by the academic stress during the board exam, while some thinks that it is mostly affected by anxiety and other factors like self-concentration,disturbance,self-esteem / self –confidence of students , studying the subjects only during the time of exam , addiction to gadgets , time management , teachers etc. However, few of them answered with multiple factors that mostly affect them during the board exam.

It seems respondents face academic stress and anxiety during the board exam.

It seems that most of the respondents overcome these factors while appearing for board exam through counseling with the teachers and the family for their suggestions , by studying hard , studying from the syllabus , managing time to study before the exam starts , taking small break from time to time , taking tuition, studying daily , self – motivating oneself and having positive attitude towards the exam .

The respondents seem to have a satisfactory level of relationship with their teacher in which they sometimes give revision classes as well as syllabus to them for the board exam.

It seems many respondents sometimes discuss about their education with their family, who seems to expect a lot from their grades after giving their board exam. In which many have confident that they will fulfill their expectation i.e. scoring good marks.

Most of the respondents are affected by the factor of self-expectation and exam pressure while appearing for board exam. However, some of them are affected by the multiple factors while appearing for the board exam.

The respondents seems to have motivational classes to overcome these factors which are : bringing guest lecturers for inspirational speech , providing revision classes, teachers providing solution/counseling to overcome these factors in value classes as well as during the assembly and programs relating to overcoming these factors .

Many respondents do not agree the fact that boys and girls differ girls differ significantly with respect to academic stress and examination- related anxiety, which show that they are equally effect by these factors.

It seems that respondents think there should be an understanding of the parents and teachers performance associated with minimizing academic stress, anxiety and parental pressure in educational level.

Thus, the most of the respondents thinks that there is a psychological effect of these factors on the mental health in the student while appearing for the board exam.

Conclusion

It is evident that most of the student faces psychological problem from these factors whether they are a bright student or not. Learning is an active process of questioning, exploring and understanding rather than memorizing facts and figures only for the sake of exam and due to these factors. It is important for the teachers and parents to understand and support their child to overcome the effects that hamper their lives .It is also important for colleges to make the students facilitated with services that makes the student’s psychological state filled with self-esteem and positive attitude towards the exam. As students are the young pillars for future development of the country, we must provide that necessary support and encouragement to make these pillar a strong one.

The main source of the pressure faced by the children came from the examinations, their self-expectations, competition with the others, their parent’s expectations, pressure from college and school life and their family background respectively. Due to this pressure the students had an obsession with grades, cheated in college and over extended oneself. The pressure is also not good for their development because they are not enjoying what they are studying but are forced to do so.

The answer to my research question “how such factors do effect the student’s exam?” in which the result from my research shows that it is not all the student face these factors. Some of them seem to sail through it. This is because the hard work and the effort that put in and gets the needed encouragement and motivation from their family. The environment that they study is designed to create a hardworking atmosphere to their student’s lives. Even though, nowadays colleges provide motivational classes or counseling to the students occasionally, there is still an increase number of the student that is affected by these factors time and again. There is lot to be done in this sector for the improvement of the students who are the pillars for the future development of the country.

Since, the research is a way to understand how such factors do effect the psychological state of the student during the exam. The researcher also asked the opinions of the students to reduce such factors in which according to them, the student should be facilitate services from the college on the regular basis to overcome these factors. There should be a balanced level of understanding between students and teachers as well as with parents. As, this is important for a student to have a good and supportive environment to grow. The studies also suggest that there is discrimination among students who are judged according to their grades by the teachers, which should be reduced. Much of the importance is given to the theoretical facts than the practical knowledge that makes the atmosphere for obtaining grades more intense and competitive causing these factors to arise. Likewise, through this study , it have suggest that due to tradition of obtaining higher grades that prevails in the society’s cultural structure among the students , also make these factors to arise . The problem of time management with increase in the length of the syllabus for the preparation is also causing a great deal for the student to suffer from these factors.

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Sleep is one of the most essential day to day activities that a human being does, in fact every living being does. Without a proper sleep, your brain can’t function or maintain your body that helps your brain to learn and make new memories, helps in concentration and respond fast.

It is also important for the functions of brain and removes toxins while you sleep. You will feel refresh the next day. Sleep deprivation almost affects every kind of tissues or system, from your brain, heart and lungs to metabolism, mood even your immune against diseases.

The lack of sleep will increases the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes , depression even obesity. According to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, they are trying to find if there is any relationship between sleep and diseases or the risks involves due to lack of sleep.

Late night learners might get benefits of time to their study and assignment .But, it also hampers your study and mental health. According to the article in sleep education, the memory recall and concentration will impact your exam and ends up with low grades.

There is a co-relation between Sleep and mental health. The lack of sleep affects your mental health. With its problems, comes insomnia or other sleep disorders. The sleep problems are usually associates with anxiety, despression, dipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

“44% of students experience symptoms of depression. Also, 80% feel overwhelmed by academic responsibilities, and 50% have struggled with anxiety” National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2012

When asked Janette, a student of Griffith college about if it affects your mental health and study, she said that it’s a normal situation that comes in everybody’s life , the only thing they can do is take it easy.

Likewise, Reky, student of Journalism says “when I was in my undergrad days and was working as a photographer, I didn’t get much sleep but eventually figured out how to balance between the sleep, study and work. Moreover, it did not mental affected my study nor body.”

A goodnight rest has its own peaks but how many hours should we know as “better sleep?” Some may say getting at least eight hours of sleep is a good advice. The high school teenager should have eight hours of sleep or sleep upto ten hours for a healthy lifestyle.

While, college students must have seven to nine hours of sleep. This timetable is usually popular when it comes to the topic of better sleep. Likewise, sleep pattern is also that much important to get a better sleep. Here is some pattern that needs your proper attention:

Sleep latency- how much time it will take you to go from you fully awake to sleep. Keep the track of your sleep latency by doing the sleep latency test (MSLT) so that you will know if you have a sleep disorder or not.
Sleep efficiency- It is the total time that you spend in bed. You calculate and compare the time you spend in bed without sleeping versus the time you sleep. Just divide the each of the time (in minute). A normal sleep efficiency is considered to be 85 %
Wake after sleep onset- It is also referred as WASO which is the amount of time you wake up in the middle of night before your waking time. Waking up too much in the middle of night is not a good sign.
Wake time after sleep offset- It is also called as “WASF” which is the amount of time you are awake for long after you wake up from your unusual sleep in the morning. If this happens a lot it will cause a disorder in your sleep
REM latency- It is the timeframe between sleep onset and REM sleep.

The combination of these two above is a essentialingredients of a better sleep. In fact, creating a routine goes hand to hand with your sleep. According to the expert, Brian st. Pierre, sports dietician and nutrition coach at Precision Nutrition Suggests that it is important to establish sleep routine.

Here are 10 tips for the students that will help you to get a better sleep

You should do 3 to 4 hours of exercises before it’s your bed time
Create your own wind down routine of 30 to 60 minutes that will help you relax before you sleep.

You should go bed as per your regular time
Try to wake up at your regular time
Don’t take day naps
You should not drink any caffeinate drinks or alcohol after 12 pm.
Avoid taking pills for sleeping pills if you have being prescribed.
Don’t do any work in bed expect sleeping.
Avoid any form of tobacco.
You should turn off your electrical devices; this creates an environment for sleep.