The uncertainty in anticipating matric results is one that can cause a lot of anxiety for both learners and parents. As much as learners do their best to prepare for their National Senior Certificate examinations, worrying about the outcomes happens from time to time.
The South African Anxiety and Depression Group (SADAG) Project Coordinator, Roshni Parbhoo-Seetha highlighted that post exam anxiety is real and that matric learners suffer from it. She indicated that matric final exams can be quite stressful because there is a lot of expectations from the learners.
‘’Our children do suffer from post exam anxiety. They may be happy today and sad tomorrow and everything that they are feeling is valid,” she said.
According to Parbhoo-Seetha, not only do learners stress about their results, but they also worry about life after matric. That is why it is important for parents to continue being supportive during this time and realize that not everything goes the way they had planned.
Her advise to the learners is that they should use this time to explore their interests. She also added that this is this time to make up for lost time in sports or art.
“Use this time to do what you love or find out what your passion is. If you could not exercise during exams, use this time to catch up on exercising,” she said.
Clinical Psychologist at the University of Pretoria’s Department of Student Affairs, Sibongile Sibanyoni, recommended that matric learners should preoccupy themselves by taking up a hobby and try to remain calm.
“Matric learners should be in touch with how they are feeling and share that with a close friend,”she said.
“Parents and caregivers should motivate their children and tell them how proud they are of them by identifying and referring to specific occasions that had made them proud. In cases where things do not go according to plan or as well as they had thought, parents and caregivers should continue encouraging and supporting their children,” she said.