Stress management-4 helpful steps you need to take

Stress in school, has never been easy to manage over the century neither will it be easy sometime soon. However, experiences from victims of stress have enabled us to gather strategies for managing stress in school, all of which will be discussed in this article. Stress management can be likened to a sailor crossing a river by a boat.

There are due steps to follow in order to successfully sail across the river.

He will avoid loading the boat more than it can carry, so as to sail successfully without sinking, if he fails to follow this procedure he may end up sinking and not sailing across the river successfully.

    Likewise, you can manage the stress you face and still accomplish the work you are doing without causing any harm to yourself. But this can only be possible, if you follow the example of the sailor in the above scenario and apply the strategies for stress management.

Here are helpful steps for you to manage stress in school:

• STEP 1. Find out the source of your stress: It is almost impossible for you to tackle a problem, if you do not know exactly what the problem is, so for this reason, it is wise for you to map out the source or cause of your stress in school---Below are questions that will enable you to identify the cause of your stress.. Am I faced with stress from my teachers or peers? Is this as a result of my personal mistake or instructions I fail to obey? Asking yourself the above questions will enable you to know the cause of your stress, whether it is self-induced or stress from outside.

• STEP 2. Categorize your stress:  After knowing the cause of your stress. Next, list your stress into two categories;

 (i) The ones you can handle all alone. 

(ii)  Those you can not control.

NOTE: As stated above, there are some stress that come as a result of your mistake, such stress will go away if you rectify those mistakes. In handling stress-getting enough sleep each night-at least eight hours can help you cope with some stress you encounter.

• STEP 3. Take action immediately:  Procrastinating will not do you any good while managing stress. First, you have figured out your problem. Second, you are aware of the fact that you can do one or two things about it. Then, sitting back and do nothing about it will be the worse step you can take next. Without delay, pop into action immediately and try to deal with those stress you can handle all alone. When those problems are gone, then you will have enough time to think about those that are not under your control.

• STEP 4. Seek for help: Asking for help from others will be a smart move to take as you fight stress. You may seek for help from those who have faced a similar challenge in the past. They will be happy to share their story with you and help you avoid mistakes they have made in their time. Your parents and guidance are there for you, ask them for help they will not hold back from helping you make the right decision to get over your stress. 

WHAT IF AFTER APPLYING THE FOUR STEPS DISCUSSED ABOVE, YOUR STRESS DOES NOT GO AWAY?  

   Here is the last resort:

Endurance: This is a virtue for the brave and strong hearted. After much effort in fighting stress at school and you could not get over it, the best thing left for you is endurance, just endure. Why? Because you will not spend your entire life in school, someday it will be over, when you have finally graduated all your stress story will be something of the past.

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Say no to University or Polytechnic carryover

“Carryover” is a major problem University or Polytechnic students

face either in their main or borrowed course. This is a difficulty that has to be dealt with because it can deprive a student from graduating from an Institution successfully.  Such a set back is one thing a student needs to avert.

Before going to the University, Polytechnic or any other higher Institution, your parents might have worked very hard, borrowed from

  friends and relatives just to make sure you have got all you needed to be there. The least you can do in appreciation is coming back home in your NYSC uniform, with your shoulders above your head portraying a logo written in your fore head “I have made it.” Before that happens something must be done, as you well know that success does not come easily. Anyone who believes success comes easily is yet to wake up from his day dream.

   Getting carry over in one or two courses in the University is a thing every student who wishes to graduate successfully must prevent. Now the question arise again-

                               HOW CAN I SAY NO TO CARRYOVER?

 Firstly, deem it feet to keep this fact in the back of your mind, stopping carryover is not a day job. Rather, you begin working for it from the first day you are admitted into an Institution. Before finding the solution to this dilemma, let us figure out the source.

                                           CAUSES OF CARRYOVER

 There are so many factors that cause this educational barrier, but we will discuss the more important ones in this article.

•  Paying little or no attention to borrowed courses: Entertaining the thoughts that borrowed courses are not essential, and as a result you should give little or no attention to them is detrimental to the education of every student especially those in University and polytechnic. Consider an example of a University student studying medicine and hopes to become a medical doctor someday. Now, while in school he was told to study mathematics a subject not related to his area, as a borrowed course. This student chose to pay no attention to this subject, knowing that it has no effect in his career of becoming a medical doctor. Little did he know that failing mathematics will rob him of his chance of graduating successfully. But then, he wrote his final examinations, made all his papers except mathematics, unfortunately for him, he spent extra three (3) years after his final year, in order to clear mathematics before successfully graduating. The lesson from the above example is a fact you must keep close in mind, to avoid repeating the mistake of that University student.

•   Forming the habit of sorting (paying money or any other valuable thing to lecturers before or after examinations) just to get good grades: It is true that lecturers demand money from students, threatening to mark them down if they fail to comply. Out of fear so many student succumb to this threat and develop the habit of sorting in all examinations to prevent carry over. The bitter truth is that those lecturers will never upgrade your score even after paying huge amount of money to them. Not only that, when they have noticed your habit of sorting, when ever you fail to pay in any examination, the best they give to you is carryover, irrespective of your effort to study and pen something down. So you see…. It does more harm than good to “sort” as you will someday run out of cash.

•     Laziness and stubbornness: This two attributes are deadly, when possessed by anyone irrespective of who you are. However, who are lazy and stubborn students? They are those students who do not study for examinations, those who fail to obey instructions and those who refuse to do assignments because of one reason or the other. When you are labeled lazy and stubborn by lecturers, trust me…. The best they can offer you is failure in their various subjects, nothing more.

 We have seen the main causes of University/Polytechnic carryover. So now, how can you tackle this problem? The solution to this problem can be deduced from the causes.

Here are helpful steps for you to take……

•     Do not be a lazy and stubborn student. I repeat do not cultivate this deadly attributes at any cost. Instead, make it your habit to study regularly and effectively  as that is the only path that leads to educational success. Also, cultivate the attitude of obeying instructions. You should never overlook the importance of doing assignments given to you by your lecturers, to avoid creating a bad image of you in the mind of your lecturers, this will go a long way in helping you succeed.
•   Learn to study wide. When you are given borrowed causes to offer, take them not as a burden but a responsibility, give them the needed attention at least for the sake of sailing through examinations.

•   Strictly avoid giving money to lecturers in order to get good grades. The truth remains that when you burn your midnight candles, answer questions correctly in examinations even without giving a penny to anyone, no lecturer can deprive you of success and your deserved merit. By following these simple steps carefully, never again will you involve yourself in the web of carry over in any University, Polytechnic, Collage of education or any other higher institution you find yourself.

Lastly, do not keep this to yourself make use of the share button and reveal this secret to your friends.

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Stress, sources and effects on students

  Educational Stress is an emotional pressure suffered by a student. This is one of the major problem students face in school, as well as in other areas of life. In this article we will discuss the causes and effects of stress in the educational world.

                            Sources of stress

• Stress from peers: Peer-induced stress is an inevitably experienced problem by collage students especially. Such stress may come in different forms. It may be that your peers keep pressuring you to engage in activities that you do not find appealing, or contrasting your moral standards. Such may include; drinking, smoking, cultism, premarital sex and so forth. Coping with peer-induced stress is not always easy, below is an experience of a high school student: I believe stress from school, especially from your peers are more weighty than that from work. In school, my peers always encourage me to go out with guys but when I refuse, I am labeled a lesbian. This makes me so stressed that sometimes I feel I should just quit school.

• Stress from study: A professor ones said: one of the characteristics of a student is studying. It is not always easy to study; you are drained of your precious time, energy and other resources. Stress from study is so intense that most students fall ill after studying so hard for examinations. Other stress from study includes; researching (going far and wide to search for information), home work, for this you have to sacrifice your leisure time. All these makes study stressful.

• Getting to and from school: This factor affects some student, though not all. It affects mostly, those students  that live kilometers from the Institution they study in. Getting to and from school will be a big challenge, you are either riding by shanks’ mare, a school bus or any other means. None of which is stress free, consider a school bus for instance. In most occasions the bus becomes faulty, the driver orders everyone out and you just have to wait for hours till the bus is rectified. On getting home after spending quality hours on the way, this makes you so stressed.

• Stress from Teachers/Lecturers: Teachers and Lecturers pressure students to excel academically, if you as a student fail to work towards the academic goals they want for you, then you are rendered useless, irrespective of other goals you may want for yourself. Another stress imposing attribute of lecturers include rudeness. Lectures rudeness has become so forby-such that 60% of lecturers in most institutions are labeled rude. This posses a great challenge to most student, especially those who have the habit of feeling uncomfortable and stressed when spoken to in a rude manner.

                                            Effects of stress

   There are negative and positive effects of stress. Firstly, let us look at some of the negative effects of stress especially on students.

•          School drop out: Many students lose interest in schooling after much stress from school activities, teachers and peers.
•          Suicide: After much stress some are tempted to take their own lives. At such point they feel the only way to escape from stress is to end their lives and that fuels the desire the desire to commit suicide.
•          Stress fracture: This is a small crack in a bone, it is caused by repeated episodes of stress.

        Now let us discuss the positive effect of stress. This may sound weird but the fact that you feel some stress is something good. Why? This is because it indicates that you are diligent and your conscience has not become lazy. Though some stress are hard to deal with but when managed properly, it can yield a good result and even make you stronger.

       Recommended: Key fact about success you must know

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10 secrets you must know before going for 2016 utme screening in any university/polytechnic

It is no new gist for you that the scene of the world is changing, especially in Nigerian  educational sector. It is moving at a fast pace and one can't afford to be left behind.  In June 2 2016, The Minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu declared there won't be anymore post UTME examination for candidates seeking for admission.

For full details see vanguardngr. As a result candidates who scored below 180 in Joint Admission Matriculation Board examination (JAMB) 2016, has no chance of getting into any institution in Nigeria. The effect of post UTME scrapping and laying 180 as the benchmark for admission qualification into any institution, including polytechnic and collage of education, was a great disdain to most admission seekers as they had no clue of this new development before sitting for JAMB examination. Prior to the introduction of Post UTME in 2004, screening was conducted orally and essay. I presume this is the format Institutions are likely to adapt for the 2016 screening text. Candidates who qualify to sit for the text must have these ten (10) secret tips at the back of their mind if they are to succeed.
Now drop whatever you are doing at this moment and pay rapt attention, as I highlight these important facts that will help you to succeed in your race among the 1.5million candidates, who seek to gain admission into different institutions in Nigeria in 2016.
  Despite the fact that Federal Government nailed 180 as the benchmark for all institutions, and none is allowed to go below the benchmark. Moreover, it is wise for you to know that most University in Nigeria will never go below 200. Universities like, University of Lagos (UniLag), University of Ibadan (UI), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), University of Benin (UniBen), for full list of JAMB cut of marks for all institutions in Nigeria for 2016 academic session see nigeriaschool.com
  Here are the ten (10) secrets you must digest, before going for screening in any Institution of your choice.

• Punctuality: You probably must have heard the saying that “punctuality is the sole of a business” for the year the 2016, Institutions will employ different tactics in weeding out candidates. You wouldn’t want to be a victim. Most Institution like UniBen expects all their candidates to be sited in the examination hall 1 and a ½ hour before the examination time. You have no excuse to be late, be punctual at all cost if you really aspire to gain admission into the institution of your choice in Nigeria in 2016.

• Dressing code: Sitting in any Institution for screening text is as good as saying you will soon become a student of that institution. Now think for a moment if there would be any institution who wishes to have an indecent person as a student, of course none. So you are under an obligation to dress decently to the screening hall.                           
•  Fully equip yourself with the needed material: If possible take with you 3 to 4 pen, pencil and other needed supplies to avoid inconvenience in the examination hall. I believe you would not want to waste time doing unnecessary things in the hall when examination is on.

• Strictly follow instructions: Prior to the screening text, you will be given instructions.  Do not overlook any of the instructions but strictly follow all to the core in other to avoid being penalized.

• Obedient to school rules: Every Institution has rules and regulations governing them. As an aspirant, it is your responsibility to know all the rules and regulations and obey them, doing this will create a friendly impression on the heart of the institution-that you are qualified to be one of her student.

• Adequate preparation: You probably must have been studying very hard prior to this moment. That has been a good move, keep up the good work. Consider a candidate who is seeking for admission in an institution, he carefully followed all the instructions and rules but he had nothing upstairs to deliver. Such will only jeopardize his chance of gaining admission.

•   Be smart and up to date: Every serious student never fails to seek for the latest information around them. Screening text sometimes include aptitude text, it takes a smart and up to date student to tackle questions from such areas.

• Courage: This virtue will be of great help to you in the long run. A courageous person will never be griped with fear in any strange situation that comes up, and without fear you can make the right decision with ease.

• Avoid examination malpractice: Cheating is the order of the day. Students fail to put into consideration, the effect of such act before engaging in it. Sadly, many have fallen victim to the severe consequences of examination malpractice. You do not want to be a victim too.

• Have full knowledge of the Institution you aspire: It will be a wise move for you to gather every bit of information you can, of your school of aspiration. You can often go there for a tour. This will be of a create help to you.

  If you apply these ten (10) secrets, I assure you that you will successfully gain admission into any institution of your choice in the year 2016.

Recommended: Learn how to cope with peer pressure

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Questions-when should you ask, are there benefits for asking?

  You probably have witnessed the way children ask questions. If so you will notice they would not stop asking until you stop given them answers, even your best answers will yet raise more questions. Nevertheless, children are not the only ones who ask questions. But sadly many have relented from asking questions because of shame,embarrassment and many other reasons.
Whereas there are millions of benefits that result from asking questions you may not have thought about before. This article covers the benefits of asking questions, and areas of your life that requires you to ask questions incessantly.
   Firstly, let us discuss areas of your life that requires you to persevere in asking questions.
             1. Learning
    If you are a student or anyone learning, question is one of the tools that you need to get the very best from your mentor. In the course of your learning, you will definitely encounter difficulties, either in your personal study or otherwise. When you do, you should never hold back from asking because only when you ask will get the right information you need.
             2. To satisfy your curiosity
 You can also ask questions on regular basis just to satisfy your curiosity. Knowing the fact you seek may not have any effect on you at that moment, but still you are moved to ask some questions just to know.
                3. To find your way and learn of dangers that you need to avoid
  In your day to day living, asking question is a very vital attitude that you need to cultivate. Consider this scenario: A man traveled to a city, on his arrival he saw some people fleeing, he quickly fled with them. Little did he know that these men where criminals running for their lives, sadly he was arrested along with the criminals. The cause of that mans dilemma was failing to ask question. What is the lesson? You should always ask questions in every situation you find yourself, no matter how hard it may seem. You will never know but such can rescue you from deadly situations. Highlighted above are three (3) aspect of your lives that requires you to ask questions incessantly. Now let us look at some benefits that will result from asking questions.
                            BENEFITS OF ASKING QUESTIONS
  It is true that there is nothing with merits that does not have demerits, Granted, the benefits of asking questions over weighs the disadvantages. Here are some benefits of asking questions. Asking questions can help you figure out new ideas and information, it can as well broaden your knowledge and aid in advancement in your area. Additionally, asking improves thinking ability and above all it helps you to understand and remember.
Recommended:  Steps that will guide in managing stress

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