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How To Cope With Academic Expectations

• JUNE 25, 2021

"Never in my academic life have I encountered the fear of meeting expectations laid upon me.", said nobody ever.

If you are a student, you may have experienced massive pressure to ace those exams, isn't it? Whether you are studying in a school or college, heading towards a sports game, or appearing for a competitive exam, you may feel intimidated by the pressure or an 'expectation' coming from different directions.

Where do expectations come from?

Academic expectations and pressure to perform well come from various people and places, normally from those concerned about you and wish to see you achieve remarkable feats in your career. Anyone starting from your parents, teachers, and mentors to relatives, peers, and friends can create pressure knowingly or unknowingly. Even you might be posing anxiety on yourself without a hint.

If such is the case, where you feel nervous or concerned for some or the other reasons, you must acknowledge the fact. While it is entirely okay to have different ideas and expectations from those around you, solving the situation appropriately is the key. So how can you find ways to cope with it? Here are the tips that you can follow while dealing with pressure.

How to cope with expectations?

• Let’s start by taking a look at how far we can go. Some of us can study and top exams by studying for many hours or simply an hour every day, but that is not the case with everyone. There is no shame if you cannot top it in the same manner. As you know, everyone can not be a topper, so why run a rat race and spoil your game? When you analyze your limits, you know exactly how much you can achieve and be relaxed about your studies.
• Being sure about what people are expecting of you is vital. Think about it; it may not be as bad as it seems. Guessing that their expectations are higher than your own will keep you stressed out. Instead, have mental clarity about their expectations and focus on your goals. 
• Write down your goals in a journal. It will help you have a fair understanding of the targets you have set and know if there are any unrealistic ones. Research about how others (whom you consider a role model) have set goals in their academics and achieved the level of success you wish to have. It will help you make better decisions and set goals accordingly. 
• Have a long-term goal, but take small steps in the short term. It is essential that you focus on the present while keeping your vision on the future. These short milestones will help you learn from your setbacks and grow. Just because you failed once does not mean you can not start again and achieve what you set your eyes on. 
• Treat yourself often for every effort you make towards your target. Celebrating little victories adds up in the long run. Appreciate how creative you are when it comes to trying different ways of learning. This will help you keep going as you feel valued and confident in your abilities.
• Know that when you aim for the highest mark, you may achieve a bit less than that. Instead of worrying about why you did not meet your expectations, find satisfaction in your personal best. Ensure that your expectations motivate you to make better efforts rather than making you feel worse. 
• Understand the core reason behind setting high expectations. When you do this, you may not lower your expectations but set better ones. Focusing on why you have such ambitions can help you turn the negatives into positives. Ensure that the goals you are heading towards are the ones you really want to accomplish.
• Change your perspective by challenging your expectations. Ask a friend to do the same for you. Ask each other whether you would expect the same out of one another. If not, know that you are setting an unrealistic expectation for yourself. Other people's expectations should inspire you and not burn you out. 
• Past failures might hurt, but you need to be focusing on what next you can do to improve the situation. Make peace with your past and move forward with an open mind. If it helps, try talking to a neutral person who can support you to set new goals.

Closing Thoughts

While all the above points will help, taking enough breaks in between is a significant factor. Your mind needs time-out for relaxation, a moment of fresh air where you are free from the thoughts of what you would be studying next. Calm your senses by listening to your favorite music, tending your plants, or doing something you like. This will help you calm down and cope with expectations easily. 

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