The last stretch of the year can be a difficult and anxiety-ridden time for many, with scholars wrapping up their academic year and the working-class pushing to close the year off strong.
The last stretch of the year can be a difficult and anxiety-ridden time for many, with scholars wrapping up their academic year and the working-class pushing to close the year off strong. For matriculants, as well as the hopeful scholarship and bursary recipients in particular, this period tends to be highly stressful, given the impact that the outcome can have on their future plans.
Over and above the exams themselves, learners are also forced to endure a lengthy wait before receiving their much-anticipated results, and for many, it can be difficult to keep calm and find their ‘happy place’ during this extended period of transition. On the other hand, the Janu-Worry anxiety is kicking in as festive costs mount up ahead of the holidays.
As such, it’s important to find healthy ways to keep one’s anxiety at bay during these nerve-wracking weeks, whether it’s by seeking sage counsel or by staying active. “It’s important for scholars to remember that once their final papers have been submitted, anxiety serves no purpose,” says Segomotsi Qomiso, Miway’s Head of Learning and Development. “Rather than expending unnecessary energy worrying about the outcome of their exams, it would do better to seek out activities and people that provide positive reinforcement, thus enabling one to enjoy the end-of-year festivities without excess stress.”
Registered counsellor Jeanette Masina, who works with Miway’s ‘Leaders in The Making’ program says that mental health in teenagers is often overlooked because of a lack of understanding. “Teenagers are dealing with so many pressures at the same time,” explains Masina. “It becomes easy to label them as naïve, unrealistic, ungrateful – and people tend to miss when they slide into depression and anxiety.”
Here are a few simple ways to lessen the load and ease the anxiety this season, be it academic or professional.
Moral support can make all the difference when it comes to managing stress, and it can often be found in unexpected places. “The critical thing is to find your go-to person, with whom you can voice your concerns, fears and excitement,” explains Segomotsi. “This needn’t necessarily be a counsellor or psychologist, but rather an empathetic ear, someone willing to listen without judgment. It could be a spaza shop owner, the lady selling magwinya on the side of the road, or a family member, colleague, friend or fellow academic: the important thing is not to bear the burden alone, and to remember that it’s ok to let it all out from time to time.”
Temogo Rakgogo, a grade 12 learner at Moletsane Secondary School currently taking part in Miway’s Leaders in The Making program, says it’s been a tough year, “I’ve been dealing with anxiety, feeling like I’m not doing enough. Talking to somebody like a mentor really helps. Teenagers don’t know how to deal with depression – so to be able to pick up the phone and speak to somebody and explain the way you feel really helps.”
Sithi Motloung, a fellow grade 12 participant in the program, says this matric year has been overwhelming at times, but that the support received from his Miway mentor has proven invaluable in helping him to overcome the hard times. “It’s challenging getting through all my content subjects and I’ve felt the pressure,” he says. “My mentor helped me to deal with this pressuree from their lived experience, and helped me to realise that I also needed time to relax.”
Our environment can have an enormous impact on our emotional state, so it is encouraged to spend as much time as possible in the places that make you most happy and relaxed. Whether it’s a church, a playground, a park or a friend’s front stoep, the important thing is to prioritise spaces that make you feel centred, avoiding those that tend to trigger stress.
There’s no better cure for anxiety than activity. So while it might be tempting to curl up in the foetal position on your bed or couch while you wait things out, it’s important to get up and get those endorphins firing. “It’s easy to get stuck in a self-destructive cycle at times, despite our best intentions,” says Segomotsi. “But no matter what, it’s important to force yourself to keep going and keep it moving - literally. Exercise and activity has been proven to be beneficial to our mental state, so whether you take a walk, bake a cake or go to the gym, make sure you keep your brain and body occupied as much as possible.” With the whole family facing different anxieties at this time of the year, why not keep it moving with the family and work through it all together.
It can be easy to get caught up in a spiral of negativity, particularly if you found those final exams or the work year quiet the challenge. But rather than torturing yourself with worst-case scenarios, why not think about all the amazing things that might be awaiting you in the near future. What if you get three distinctions? What if you get a promotion or an amazing job offer? What if you get the chance to visit some dream destinations you’ve always wanted to see? Remember that life is what you make it, so it’s worth considering the possibilities instead of dwelling on potential problems.
While eliminating stress entirely during this particularly trying period can be difficult, it’s important to take the necessary steps to keep it to a minimum.. So make sure to breathe and to surround yourself with people and activities that uplift you and offer you a big-picture perspective. After all, you’ve still got your whole life ahead of you.
Miway is a licensed non-life insurer and Financial Services Provider (FSP 33970).
