2021 Matric students are going through a lot at the moment. In this practical blog post, we give advice on:
- how to cope with stress;
- how to make plans to re-write; and
- how to reach for support
Let’s go!
How do I cope with stress?
Coping with stress around matters relating to school is difficult; a solution is to focus on what you can control, like your breath, your senses, fun activities, meditation, reduce information intake and stick to your routine. To promote mindfulness in your daily life, try practice some of the fun exercises below!
Focus on Your Breath.
We are always breathing in the present moment, so if you’re struggling to focus on something happening right now, just pay attention to your breathing. The air going in through your nose, and out through your nose… or paying attention to the rise and fall of your belly as the air goes in and out. It can be helpful to place your hand on your stomach as a way to keep your attention on the rise and fall of the breath. An example of a breathing exercise is Five Count Breathing.
Use the star to control your breathing when you’re feeling overwhelmed or panicked. Follow the prompts on the star, while tracing the star on the palm of your hand. Remember, to pause and hold your breath at the points of the star, before breathing out/in.
Focus on Your Senses.
If you focus on what you can hear, see, taste, feel or smell, you’re focusing on the present moment! Try really paying attention to what you’re sensing, the next time you eat or brush your teeth!
Try out some Fun Activities.
When we keep ourselves busy with an activity, it can help us to focus on what we are doing. When we’re just sitting doing nothing, it’s hard to not have our minds wander. There are LOTS of activities you can do to help you practice mindfulness like yoga, art, music (singing, playing, listening), dancing, exercising, cleaning and hobbies.
Make space for Meditation.
If you like to meditate, you can try free apps like Calm. Doing gratitude and self-compassion meditations is especially helpful – because you focus your attention on the things you feel grateful for and to remind myself to be kind to myself – which can really help me feel some “good feelings”, which is a great way to balance out the feelings of anxiety etc.
Reduce Your Information Intake.
Another thing we are in control of right now is what information we’re taking in and how we are looking after ourselves. It’s very NB to be staying informed at the moment, but this doesn’t mean reading or talking about matric results all day – especially if the info isn’t all true! Find reliable sources when you looking for information.
Keep a Routine.
Keeping a routine is another thing you can control and which can be very helpful. This isn’t so easy, as most people’s routines have been completely disrupted with COVID-19, but perhaps there is a new routine you can come up with.
If you decide to rewrite your exam, try to recreate the routine you followed when doing your matric.
I have not passed my matric, now what?
If you have checked your matric results and found out that you haven’t done as well as you had hoped for, please don’t despair. Please remember that this is just a bump in the road, and there are opportunities for a re-do.
Read more: How to register and prepare for the Second Chance Matric Programme.
Preparing for the Second Chance Matric Programme happens outside of school; this means that you will not have to go to school every day. For this reason, you will need to plan a study schedule and find resources to help you with that. It can be a challenging process, but it’s worth it to progress on your journey, to access further education and training opportunities. We advise you to be clear about your why! Do you want to study further, do you want to apply for certain jobs? Your why will help you stay focused and stick with the challenging times.
What resources can I use to prepare?
There are a handful of free resources that you can use to prepare for the Matric Rewrite. In the blog post below, we include study tips and some brilliant resources data-light resources to help you prepare.
Read more: Study Tips: How to get the grades you want in high school.
Reach out for support.
Remember that you’re never alone and that support is very important, so make sure that you reach out to your family and friends for help! Should you feel that a chat with a professional would do you good, make use of the following services!
SADAG are great for free help – they will be able to assist you or your loved ones who are struggling to cope. Call 0800 456 789 or sms 31393. These are other helpful numbers and this is the link to another helpful website .
Do you have any tips to help other young people ahead of the matric rewrite? Share them with us!