At the invitation of the Alvaiázere Schools Group, under the National Programme for the Promotion of School Success (PNPSE) and the work of the Psychology and Guidance Service, the technicians of the Student Support Office, Ana Rita Sobral and Carla Vale Lucas, organised, on 15 June 2021, the activity “Managing anxiety during exams”. Twenty three 11th grade students participated in this online initiative. Over two hours, we reflected on anxiety, its manifestations and strategies on how to manage it, using individual and group tasks. We had the collaboration of medical students involved in the Mentoring Project - Ana Raposo and Tomás Gonçalves - who, through their testimonial, shared the strategies used in anxiety management, reinforcing the importance of peer support.

Testimonials from participants

"I found the topic very important and relevant for this period and for our class, since there have been several occurrences of anxiety attacks (...). The anxiety problem is increasingly evident in young society and its seriousness is not recognized, often being undervalued. In short, I really enjoyed it and I think there should be more clarification sessions/workshops on this topic and it should be extended to more people.”

Ana Catarina Antunes, 11th A

"(…) In addition to being a current and important subject for us, young people, this workshop allowed us to learn about strategies and ways to control anxiety. It is very useful for young people, especially in times of examination, assessment or any less positive moments in our lives.”

Jéssica Ferraz, 11th A

“The session on exam anxiety, organised by Espaço S of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon, focused on a pertinent and very current topic. It offered useful information on anxiety in general and on anxiety before, during and after tests/exams. All the tips and strategies shared with us were extremely important, many of them so easy to put into practice. It was also very easy to participate actively, as the dynamics implemented and the tools used helped to create a relaxed atmosphere conducive to reflection. We hope in the future to be able to continue this partnership, with more activities and meetings, perhaps in person, which we miss so much.”

SPO and PNPSE
Alvaiázere Schools Group

Student Support Office