The exam session is a period of increased demands, time pressure, and intense cognitive effort. For many students, it is associated with experiencing stress - often triggered by the mere thought of upcoming exams. It is worth emphasizing that pre-exam stress is a natural phenomenon. If it did not exist, it could mean that exams have no real significance for us. In response to the upcoming exams, UE Katowice has prepared a special series titled “Pressure-Free Exam Session”, which can be followed on the university’s social media channels.
What is stress?
Stress is a state of tension that appears when we feel that the demands of a situation exceed our current resources - such as knowledge, concentration, psychological resilience, or energy levels. Crucially, it is not the situation itself that causes stress, but the way we interpret it and the thoughts associated with it.
We distinguish two types of stress:
- Eustress - short-term, motivating stress that supports focus and action.
- Distress - overwhelming, long-term stress that leads to mental chaos, avoidance, and exhaustion.
How do we experience stress?
Cognitive symptoms (thoughts):
- a flood of thoughts and difficulty “switching off the mind,”
- worrying and creating worst-case scenarios,
- problems with concentration and memory,
- excessive self-control and perfectionism.
Emotional symptoms:
- tension, anxiety, irritability,
- a sense of being overwhelmed,
- decreased joy and apathy,
- mood swings, tearfulness.
Physical symptoms:
- muscle tension (neck, shoulders, jaw),
- headaches, stomach aches, or back pain,
- heart palpitations, rapid breathing,
- stomach problems, sleep disturbances, chronic fatigue.
Behavioral symptoms:
- procrastination and avoidance of studying,
- overactivity or “freezing,”
- impulsivity or withdrawal,
- reaching for maladaptive ways of reducing tension.
Identifying the source of stress
One of the key elements of working with stress is identifying its source. It is helpful to break down the situation using the following scheme:
- a brief description of the situation (e.g. an exam),
- automatic thoughts,
- emotions,
- physiological reactions,
- behavior.
Such an analysis makes it possible to verify and reduce automatic thoughts or to plan actions.
Body regulation - the first step
Calming the nervous system makes it possible to return to logical thinking. One of the basic techniques is the 4-6 breathing method (inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds), which sends a signal of safety to the body.
Grounding techniques can also be helpful, such as the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise:
- 5 things I can see (I name them),
- 4 things I can hear (I name them),
- 3 things I can touch (I name them),
- 2 things I can smell (I describe the scent: sweet, sharp, pleasant, vanilla),
- 1 taste in my mouth (tart, bitter, I ate yogurt recently).
Goal: to come back down to earth.
Working with automatic thoughts
Thoughts that appear under stress are often catastrophic in nature. It is worth challenging them by asking yourself:
- is this a fact or an interpretation?
- what is the evidence for and against it?
- how many times has a similar situation ended successfully?
- what would I say to a friend in such a situation?
Remember: your thoughts are not facts, and stress does not predict the future - stress often “scares” us.
Acting in small steps
Instead of focusing on the entire scope of the material, it is more effective to divide studying into small, concrete steps. The goal is not perfection, but starting to act. Even a few minutes of work can help break paralysis and reduce tension.
Acting despite stress
The goal of working with stress is not to eliminate it completely. The key is learning to act despite stress. Pausing, regulating the body, and gradually returning to the task help restore a sense of control - also during an exam.
Anti-Stress First Aid Kit
It’s worth always having your own “anti-stress first aid kit,” including:
- breathing,
- listening to music,
- meditation,
- a walk,
- journaling.
Material prepared in cooperation with UE Katowice psychologist Mateusz Olek.
Free psychological support
At the University of Economics in Katowice, you can use free psychological support. Those who need help or feel the need to talk are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the schedule of UE Katowice psychologists’ office hours and to contact them directly - by email, phone, or via the form.
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