Romania's National Evaluation Exam Starts Monday: 10 Tips for Parents on Managing Student Anxiety

Romania's National Evaluation exam for 8th graders commences Monday, June 22, with over 148,000 students set to take the Romanian language and literature test. Anthropologist Mihai Copăceanu offers parents ten essential tips, emphasizing the exam's significant psychological weight on 14-15 year olds.

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Cu una, două seri înainte de examen, încurajați copilul să aibă un programul normal și echilibrat de somn-ceea ce contează mai mult decât informația nouă.

Copăceanu explains that this exam, though less known than the Baccalaureate, exerts greater pressure on younger students. "Psychologically speaking, the pressure and stress at 14-15 years old is much greater than at the Baccalaureate," he stated. Unlike older students who may have more experience with exams and greater maturity, 8th graders have been subjected to a year-long discourse stressing the exam's importance for their future. This constant emphasis has fostered deeper anxiety.

To mitigate this stress, Copăceanu advises parents to protect their children's sleep, encouraging a balanced sleep schedule in the nights leading up to the exam. He also recommends avoiding screens for two hours before bedtime and preparing all necessary materials, such as identification, blue pens, water, and rulers, the night before. "Lack of sleep or unsatisfactory/poor sleep affects attention, concentration, mood, and of course, exam performance," he warned.

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Lipsa somnului sau un somn nesatisfăcător/prost afectează atenția, concentrarea, dispoziția și desigur performanța la examen.

Diet and routine are also crucial. Parents should provide a normal, consistent breakfast and ensure adequate hydration, avoiding any "food experiments." Copăceanu cautions against giving in if a child claims not to be hungry, as the combination of pre-exam stress, the exam itself, waiting times, heat, and lack of food can lead to adverse incidents. He also urges parents to refrain from "interrogations" or last-minute questioning, which only increase anxiety. Instead, simple encouragement is recommended.

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Evitați seria de întrebări: «Mai știi formula?», «Ai repetat?», «Ce te faci dacă pică Bacovia?». Nu faceți verificări de ultim moment. Ele nu fac decat să crească anxietatea.