Project3:CaseStudyAnalysisFinalSubmission

Overviewofthescenario:
AnexamplewouldbeKatya,afirstyearcollegestudentwhostudieshardinschoolandhas

a3.0GPA.Whentestsarecomingup,Katyadoesnothaveconfidenceinherselfdespitethefact
shestudiesbusilytoprepareforthembecauseshethinkshertimesandeffortswouldmakeno
difference.Astheresultoflackingoptimism,Katyaexperiencesseriousanxiety.Thishadleadto
anotherproblemwhichshegotpanicattackwhilestudyingforherchemistryexam.Itisstressful
forherbecauseifshecannotdowellforthistest,thereisnochanceforhertoachieveher
scholarship.Katyaneedshelpwithherproblemssincetheexamiscomingintwodays.

Mypersonalexperience:
Inmymiddleschoolorhighschoolyear,Ihaveneverexperienceddoingexamstogetany

scholarship,however,regulartestsandfinalexamswerealreadydisastersforme.JustlikeKatya
andmanyotherstudents,IexperiencedstressandanxietywhenIhavetestsinclass.Therewere
manytimeafterIstudiedmybestforexamsbuthowhardIstudied,IneverthoughtthatIwould
gethighscore.Whenitcamethedayoftheexam,Igotverytired,feltanxious,anddoubted
aboutmypreparation.Forthosetimes,sadlyIdidntreceivethehighscoresthatIexpected.
Afterexperiencingthisformorethanafewtimes,IrealizedthatwhenIforcedmyselftostayup
tostudyandeatsnacksinsteadofmeals,nomatterhowmuchtimeIspenttostudy,Iwould
nevergotthescoreIwanted.

Recommendations:

IthinkthereasonKatyadoesnothaveconfidenceinherpreparationforthechemistryexamis
becauseshehaslowselfefficacy,accordingtoBandura(1977),is
thebeliefthatonecanusehis/
herskills,talents,andabilitiestoattainadesiredgoal
.Tochangethis,Katyashouldlearnhowto
formselfefficaciousbelief(Reivich2010).Forexample,shewouldthinktoherselfIhave
studiedmybest,IwilldogreatintheexamandwillwinthescholarshipIhavedesiredforso
long.Sheneedtothinkmoreaboutthepositiveoutcomesshewouldachieveinschoolandand
inalsoindailylife,thantounderestimateherself.Thiswouldmakeawasteofhereffort.
Becauseherexamistwodaysawayitwouldbebestifshewouldscheduletimetostudywitha
groupoffriendsorgotothelearningcentertofindhelpingexpertsandhelpherpracticingdoing
chemistryproblems.Accordingtoastudy,
ImprovingStudentsLearningWithEffective
LearningTechniques
thatwerementionedbyAlstonon
BlogofTheStateUniversityofNew
York
,practicetestingproblemsisconsideredahighlyeffectivestudyingtechnique.Moreover,
sheshouldhavesomefreetime,doingcardioexercise,20minutesofcardiocanimproveyour
memory,dancing,joggingorwalkingwillincreaseenergylevelandreducetheeffectofstress
(Alston2013).Topreventasimilarstressfulsituationfromhappening,Katyashouldnotforce
herselfstudytoomuchonceatatime.Makeplaninstudyingandmakesureyoudont
overextendyourself,youllfinditeasiertostaycalmandfocused(Robinson,Smith,M.A.,and
Segal,M.A.2016)Eachday,Katyashouldincluderestandrelaxationtimeinherschedule,do
whatsheenjoyandhangoutwithpeopleshelovedwouldalsohelpmanagestressandanxiety.

Conclusion:
Aftergraduatingfromhighschoolandgotocollege,Ihavenotyetagainexperiencestress

beforetesting,butifIwasinKatyassituation,Iwouldseekprofessionalhelp.Iwanttohave
someonewhowouldhelpmeandguidemeoutinsteadofmefightingitalone.Itisalwaysbetter
todealwithstressbeforeitgetoutofmycontrol.IwouldconsiderusingthosestrategiesIhave
research,suchasregularlyexercise,eatnutritiousandpropermeals,talkoutmyproblems
insteadofhidingthem,avoidunnecessarystress,havefunandrelax.Atthebeginningofeach
semester,IwouldconsiderclassthatIneedthatwillnotgivemetoomuchstress,bepreparefor
thematerialsIwillbelearning,thinkofthechallengesImighthaveineachclassandfindoutthe
possiblesolutionssothatIwillnotfeeloverwhelming.

References
Bandura,A.(1977).Selfefficacy:Towardaunifyingtheoryofbehavioralchange.Psychological
Review,84,191215.
Reivich,K.(2010).
Promotingselfefficacyinyouth
.Bethesda:Retrievedfrom
https://login.ezp.pasadena.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/766116632?ac
countid=28371
Scientifically,TheBestWaysToPrepareForFinalExams.(n.d.).RetrievedMay02,2016,from
http://blog.suny.edu/2013/12/scientificallythebestwaystoprepareforfinalexams/