I just finished that time of the semester where you get over stressed and have to take multiple exams in the same week for every class in your schedule.
I had a ton of added extra stress this semester with exams being online, especially the ones that are still closed note (meaning we can’t use any of our class materials while taking the exam). Some exams stressed me out so much this semester that I ended it in tears – not because of the exam but because of struggling to get all my devices to work to actually submit it on time. One class had us take our exam on paper – yes even with a virtual class. But this doesn’t sound as simple as you might think. This means I had to log in to Zoom on my laptop so the professor can see me, I had to log in to Zoom on my phone so my professor can see my laptop screen and then I had to run downstairs and hope the printer worked 5 minutes before the exam time started (because she opened it early to print) and come back up and sit to get started. That’s not even half of it though! During my test, my classmates like to ask lots of questions so it’s not a “quiet” exam and once you finally finish (if you finish) you have to scan every page with a scanner app on your phone (my app is free so I have to wait for the ads)- all 10 or so pages of the exam, email it to yourself, download it, and then submit it to another platform and mark off where each of parts of the test are before the time it is due. So now, I no longer had time to check my work or make sure I had the right answers because I spend at least 10 minutes praying every device works together to get it submitted on time. I will say – the first time I did this, I cried because of how overwhelming it was and it wasn’t even the actual test that stressed me out – it was just taking it. So my other class is my closed note class, this one thankfully isn’t as overwhelming but its still stressful. For this one we have a camera on us the entire time – but it’s not like the last one where our professor is watching us. It’s a computer that can tell when you check your phone, try to navigate off the page, or look over at your possible notes. This leads me to have to stare at the screen the entire 120 minutes of the exam with fear that I look to the left it will track me for cheating. But if you really think about it, when you take a test in a classroom you look around; you look up or down to stretch your neck. That’s a normal thing to do. But now… you don’t have that option and it’s a screen, not a piece of paper. My other classes though are much better. We had a week or all day and a few questions to choose from and we wrote a response. Much less stressful. So why share this crazy stuff. Well I wanted to share how whether you realize it or not with COVID in today’s world life has just gotten more stressful. Taking a test is no longer just taking a test – it is so much more and we are completely dependent on our technology. Will my professor believe me when I say I clicked on an answer and the technology didn’t acknowledge it or it deleted the essay I worked an hour on? Maybe or maybe not. But how do we remember to breathe if we don’t know where the next paycheck is coming because you lost your job, or you’re a recent college grad and can’t even seem to get an interview. With all this added stress on top of what is already stressful people are reaching their breaking points. I wanted to share what I started to do (obviously on a small scale)that helped me to remember to breathe. These past few months I have started to take a ‘spa’ time. I forget about everything I need to do and grab a face mask (the kind you put on your face to relax – not the one you wear outside) and take time for me. When I start to get stressed, I look forward to that. I get ready again and restart so I can come back clean minded but also feeling clean as well. The idea of a “clean sweep” helps me get back to it when I can step away for a 20-minute break and do something that will make me happy and it’s a choice. Sometimes I add to this by going for a run first and then having my ‘spa’ after because the outdoors always puts a smile on face. I’ve started to recognize if I do something before I hit breaking point, I won’t feel like I’m going to break down. Now in some cases you can’t do this right away… such as during an exam or while you’re talking to someone, but that’s when you can start to look forward to it. I started to begin my day with yoga, have a run in between and end it with the Bible and when I do those things I normally feel like it’s a good day – not based on how the exam went or how productive I was. Usually yoga and running are what leads me to be so productive so it has its reasons. BUT I do want to say… I don’t always do those three things… in fact this past week I didn’t do it once because of how overwhelmed I was – but it showed. Taking a moment to do something for you – just 20 minutes is really all you need. Half the time my yoga in the morning is only 10 minutes! Its there to remind you that even in this stress on top of stress you can step away from it and can calm down to remember that YOU are capable to do anything you set your mind to. This week, if you find yourself feeling stressed on top of the added stress, take a moment for yourself and do something that brings you peace or if you can’t at that second, look forward to the moment when you can later that day. Remember that you are capable of it all but sometimes you can’t be until you take a quick break for you.
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August 2022
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