The Exam Season is upon us – Matrics are due to start their Final Exams this Wednesday, and thousands of Matric students are feeling the pressure as all eyes from their friends, teachers, parents, families and their communities are waiting in anticipation as they prepare to sit down and write for the next 6 weeks. But it isn’t just Matric students who are preparing for the big exam seasons.
SADAG receives calls from learners across the board – learners as young as in Primary school, High School as well as University Students who feel the pressure during the exam season. Students call in feeling overwhelmed, anxious and stressed, with some having had panic attacks before a big exam. “We receive calls in the early hours of the morning with students who are trying to cram before their big paper – they are overwhelmed and feel like they are going to forget everything they have learnt and fail,” says Vanishaa Gordhan, SADAG’s Call Center Manager. Students are under a lot of pressure to succeed, and with all eyes on them, the pressure is growing each year.
Parents also stress for the exam season too – they don’t always know how to best support their child so they can cope – and sometimes their pressure can add extra strain to the student. But there are so many helpful tips and tools to help students at any level, as well as parents, to cope with the exam season. 
SADAG is hosting a FREE online #FacebookFriday Q&A, this Friday, October 25, at 1pm – 2pm with Educational Psychologist Dr Joseph Seabi, and at 7pm – 8pm with Educational Psychologist, Khuze Ntakana.
Join these online Q&As to ask any questions you may have about exams, stress, anxiety, study methods, how to help a teen cope, what parents can do and self-help tips. To join the log in, go directly to our Facebook Page: The South African Depression and Anxiety Group.
Follow SADAG’s Facebook and Twitter pages as we share #SADAGExams101 where you can find daily tips on what to do on the day of the exam, coping with stress, anxiety, self-help tips and so much more. There are many advantages in looking for exam tips and self–help tools online. Repeat past papers online, watch exam preparation videos and read helpful mind maps to understand certain study concepts. There are so many helpful resources at your fingertips.
Whilst many learners and parents feel isolated and alone during this time of year, there is a place they can turn to for help. SADAG offers free telephone counselling available from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week on 0800 21 22 23 or sms 31393.
For more exam tips and tools, visit the SADAG Website at www.sadag.org for video’s on controlled breathing, self help tips and articles.
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