Anxiety, constant tension, sleepless nights, fear and pressure from the family, represent common features popular among Egyptian during high school exams, or “Thanaweya Amma'' as it is commonly referred to, where both students and their parents live in a stressful climate the whole year and especially as the finals exams approach.
Mahmoud Fathy, Thanaweya Amma student at a private school, said to “Trendify” that some students would get motivated to study when they are under stress, but he would lose all kinds of motivation to do so.
Fathy: if I decided to open a book and start studying, I find myself staring at the wall, drawing circles and hearts in my notebook
“I react to stress with complete numbness, if I decided to open a book and start studying, I find myself staring at the wall, drawing circles and hearts in my notebook, and whenever i get bored with myself I just give up and sleep, it’s a strange period of time, it almost feels like a trap and I don’t think I will be able to pass it sane” said Fathy.
Fathy added that not only him who has been under stress since the beginning of the year, but his parents had a hard time as well. “it is a psychological and financial burden. It has been almost a must to find some private tutors for all subjects for that student and this costs the family heaps of money,".
Alaa: Parents would like to see their children frightened of the exams all the time, so they would always urge them to study harder with the excuse that their grades would decide their future
“My parents cause me huge stress”, said Rehab Alaa, 17 year old Thanaweya Amma student in a private school in 6th of october city. Parents would like to see their children frightened of the exams all the time, so they would always urge them to study harder with the excuse that their grades would decide their future. “I have always been told this sentence since I was a little child and it always makes me panic”.
Alaa added to “Trendify” that the system would require students to score high marks, sometimes over 97 percent to get into a decent university. “Families are helping the government by pressuring us in all the ways possible, which make the students fall into depression that may cause us to either fail or suicide”.
Mohammed Abdallah, student in Maadi military secondary school, said the fact that exams would determine future would leave him under pressure that he must get high marks so I could join a “good” public university.
"I cannot stand this pressure anymore; I want this nightmare to finish. I have gone through tough pressure from my family, my teachers and even some of my friends and relatives. Everyone wants me to get the highest marks so as to be enrolled at a prestigious college," Abdallah added to “Trendify”.
Gamal Frweiz, Consultant Psychiatrist, said that the main reason for the extreme stress that the students suffer from is mostly caused by their parents, exaggerated intimidation of the matter in front of their children, which could put them in a state of tension, intense fear, consequently, affect them negatively, whether at the level of studying or passing exams.
Frweiz also mentioned to “Trendify” that a natural level of anxiety is required in the life of every individual, a percentage that would not lead to any mental illness or hinder the individual from performing what is required from him, but rather would increase his determination to perform his tasks well. On the other hand, not feeling anxious could affect the individual with a kind of sluggishness, and a lack of responsibility for anything, therefore one might not perform the role required from him, and might not feel the importance of things around him.
Fruez pointed out that feeling excessively anxious might affect the individual with various mental illnesses, most notably depression. “That's why students need to understand that no matter how big and terrifying it may seem, it is just the exam they need to worry about, not their whole life”.
As for students who suffer from depression or attempt suicide, Fruez said to “Trendify” that the main reason behind this would be the parents who left their children to reach that condition without their help and comfort, yet in this case, the student needs to see a psychiatrist and start going to therapy in order to avoid any harm.
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