The central school exams started today. As a result, the end of secondary school is in sight for many students. This creates tension for many students. On the Jack. P. Thijsse College in Castricum, students have taken various tools with them in the hope of reducing exam stress.
For the first time since corona, there are no relaxations during the final exams. Students who take the exams this year will therefore have to take them entirely on their own. NH visited the Jac. P. Thijsse College to see if students have devised ways to enter the exam period with a little more strength and luck.
Isa, aged 17, has just completed her first final test, but is still quite nervous about the upcoming period. Due to the stress she experiences, she sports more than usual. “I’m going to exercise a lot more to clear my head. That feels very nice.”
Difficult concentration
A number of students even take certain items into the exam hall. For example, Lale (17 years old) brought a stress ball. “If I can’t concentrate very well, I still have something in my hand that I can squeeze. I think this will help me during the exam.”
Students have also thought of extra energy. Floris (19 years old) brought dextrotablets. “The test takes three hours, after an hour or two I get tired and then I can concentrate less. I hope that if I take a dextro then I will regain my concentration.”
Lucky dolls and calming spray
The secondary school itself also tries to make the students feel comfortable in the exam hall. For example, Jennifer Hormann, team leader of 5 havo and 6 vwo, says: “Ten minutes before the exam officially starts, we tell everyone to be quiet. We really notice that this helps.”
Jennifer sees that students themselves also use tools to get through the exams. “Students, for example, have chewing gum, calming spray or lucky dolls.” But not everything can – unfortunately – allow them. “Some students want to put on large headphones during the exams, of course that is not allowed.”