Are You Having Any Fun?

When was the last time you allowed yourself to have fun while studying for the exam? If you can't remember, that's a problem! Since becoming an exam coach, I have noticed how much high achievers can sometimes struggle to make space for leisure while working toward a goal. Many have the attitude that they should just push through and keep their head down until after they pass the exam. Some refuse to even have any social outings or get-togethers during the time they study for the test. This is extremely problematic because on average it could take three to six months to prepare for exams such as the EPPP and other licensing exams. Depriving oneself of any type of social or enjoyable activities for that long can really negatively impact one's mental and emotional well-being. Furthermore, the process of studying for a licensing exam comes at the end of an already long and grueling graduate program. 

Another major issue with forcing oneself to cut out most, if not all enjoyable activities, is that it puts extra pressure on a person to pass the exam. Think about it, if you give up your entire life for studying, it will likely feel like you absolutely must pass because you have to make that time you lost worth it.  I've seen many unfortunate cases where people sacrificed their life for several months or even a whole year to study and when they don't pass they feel even more devastated. Unfortunately,  they will often repeat the same cycle and spend several more months doing the same thing. This sets them up for a perfect storm of increased resentment towards the exam and high levels of personal stress. This storm of pressure, stress, and other negative emotions makes studying a dreadful experience. It's difficult to focus and retain information when studying under such severe mental and emotional duress. As a result, study sessions tend to be ineffective and in many cases become inconsistent. Test takers may find themselves caught in a vicious cycle of avoidance of studying because they don't want to feel these horrible emotions. However, the more they avoid, the longer it drags out the process and the more they continue to have no life which just intensifies all of the negative emotions even more.

The scariest thing about being caught in this cycle is that it can literally last for years. The longer a person is in this cycle, the greater the risk for developing anxiety, depression along with other issues such as financial problems and strained relationships.  Test takers must realize, this hunker down approach, is not helpful when achieving long-term goals such as completing graduate degrees and becoming licensed.

While studying for the exam, I highly recommend you give yourself at least one activity per week (at least 2 hours in duration) where you can have some fun. This can be a solo activity or you can spend time with the people you love. If you do decide to spend time with people, establish rules about discussing the exam. I suggest NOT talking about it at all and letting loved ones know not to ask you during fun social events. This will help you to have a true break from it and refuel your tank. Think about it....if you try to go out with friends to get your mind off the exam and then you spend an hour talking about it, how does that help you to get a break from it? Another thing I suggest is practicing thought stopping or any other technique of your choice when you find yourself ruminating about the exam. The constant mental focus on the exam can make it difficult to enjoy your time away from studying and therefore keep you feeling like you are totally consumed by the exam. In conclusion, study when it’s time to study, then go out there and have some fun!