13 May 2011

Students get help to beat exam stress

Dozens of students from the University of Dundee have been getting help to de-stress and focus on their exams over the past few weeks.

Scholars from across the University are currently sitting exams, with many taking papers which will impact on their degree classification and, as such, their future career prospects.

Recognising how stressful a time this can be, and how this can adversely affect academic performance, Dundee’s Student Activities team have put together a programme of events to help reduce stress levels over the exam period.

The 'chill out days' feature a range of activities to help combat tension. Shiatsu massages from an experienced masseuse are on offer, while staff from the University’s Institute of Sports and Exercise have arranged Equilibrium classes bringing together yoga, tai chi, pilates and other forms of power stretching.

Bicycles have been made available free of charge to allow students to undertake trips from the main campus to the Botanic Garden, one of the most relaxing spots in the city. An outing to Tentsmuir Beach to allow students to unwind and recharge in scenic surroundings proved so popular that an extra excursion has been arranged to accommodate all interested parties.

'We know just how stressful exam time is for students, and so we felt it was important to do something that will help them to relax and not get so worked up that they end up not performing to the best of their potential,' said Sheena Stewart from Student Activities.

'As well as revising, it is vital that students spend some time away from the books to make sure exam tension doesn’t overwhelm them - they will perform better as a result. We hope that we have helped in some way to keep exam tension as low as possible and wish the students the very best of luck.'

Stress-busting sessions have also been organised by Peer Connections, the University’s award-winning mentoring initiative. Students are invited to work on stress management using relaxation, breathing and visualisation techniques. This helps them to focus on calming anxiety and to deal with panicky feelings so they can remain calm and focussed in exams.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277