The Five Stages of Exam Stress: From "I Got This" to "Lord, Help Me"

Exam season is here again, and every student goes through a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute, you're feeling confident, and the next, you're questioning your entire academic existence. If you've ever gone from "I got this" to "Lord, please have mercy", congratulations, you’ve officially experienced the five stages of exam stress.

Let’s break them down.

1. Stage One: Confidence (The "I Got This" Phase)

At the beginning, you're calm. The exam timetable is out, but it doesn’t bother you because: You still have time, you attended most lectures (or at least, you think you did), you tell yourself, "I'll start reading early this time", and you even make a study plan; beautifully written, and highly unrealistic. You feel like the most organized student alive. 

Common Behaviors in this Stage:

• Buying new pens and highlighters instead of actually reading.

• Feeling overly relaxed—as if the exams are months away.

• Telling yourself, "I’ll start tomorrow."

Reality check: Tomorrow never comes.

2. Stage Two: Denial (The "There's Still Time" Phase)

Days pass, but you’re still not reading. No problem; you still have time!

You start by organizing your notes, you convince yourself that one week is enough to study everything and you prioritize everything but reading; cleaning your room, watching "just one episode" of a series, or taking naps you clearly don’t need.

Your brain whispers, "Relax, exams are still far." Meanwhile, they are not far at all.

Common Behaviors in this Stage:

• Spending more time talking about how much you need to read than actually reading.

• Finding excuses to delay studying.

• Feeling slightly guilty but ignoring it.

• At this point, you are aware you should start reading. But do you? No.

  
  
  
  

3. Stage Three: Panic (The "Wait, Exams Are Next Week?!" Phase)

Suddenly, it hits you; exams are NEXT WEEK.

The confidence from Stage One? Gone. The denial from Stage Two? Crushed. Your brain goes into full panic mode.

Now, you’re regretting every decision you’ve ever made. "Why didn’t I start reading earlier?" "Wait… when was this topic even taught?!"

At this stage, you consider extreme measures: Attempting to read an entire textbook in one night; asking the class genius for last-minute summaries; and praying harder than ever before.

Common Behaviors in this Stage:

• Drinking excessive amounts of coffee or energy drinks.

• Making ridiculous study timetables (e.g., "I’ll read 4 chapters in 2 hours.").

• Avoiding social media because everyone else seems to have read more than you

  At this point, your stress level is so high that you start asking people, “If I start now, do you think I can still cover?”

4. Stage Four: Desperation (The "Lord, Help Me" Phase)

Now, it’s the night before the exam. Sleep? Gone. Confidence? Finished. Notes? Still incomplete.

This is the prayer stage. Even students who haven’t prayed in months suddenly remember God. You start making deals: "Lord, if you help me pass, I promise I’ll never procrastinate again." "Holy Spirit, please remind me of what I read." "Father, let the lecturer have mercy."

Common Behaviors in this Stage:

• Calling friends at 2 AM to ask, "Are you reading or should we give up?"

• Writing tiny notes (for "reference purposes"; definitely not for malpractice. Don't be that person!).

• Thinking about dropping out for the 100th time.

At this point, you’re no longer aiming for an “A” you just want to pass and go home.

5. Stage Five: Acceptance (The "It Is What It Is" Phase)

The moment has arrived. You enter the exam hall, sit down, and face reality. If you read, you pray the questions favor you. If you didn’t, you pray for divine inspiration. If both fail, you stare at the ceiling, chew your pen cover and accept your fate.

Exam Hall Reactions:

• “I just saw this question yesterday! But what was the answer again?”

• “This was not in the syllabus. These lecturers hate us.”

• “ If I answer question 2, 3 and 6 I should get up to 40”

At this point, you realize that the result is in God’s hands. You walk out of the hall and either: Celebrate (if the exam went well), join the "post-exam assessers and complainers" or go home and sleep, because the stress is finally over (until the next paper).

No matter how bad the exam stress gets, remember:

• You’re not alone—every student is going through the same thing.

• One exam won’t define your entire life.

• Even if you didn’t prepare well, do your best and trust God.

So whether you’re still in the denial stage or deep in the panic stage, just breathe. Exams come and go, but your sanity is forever.

Good luck, and may your lecturers be merciful!