Recently, we must be vigilant about this "disease"!

The 2024 college entrance examination is over, and the majority of candidates have finally ushered in the happiest summer vacation since they entered middle school. However, this happy summer may also secretly lurk a crisis - for some candidates, what comes after the tension is not relaxation but anxiety and emptiness - this is the legendary "post-college entrance examination syndrome".

How to smoothly get through this special period and smoothly transition to the subsequent university life is an issue that requires special attention.

What is "post-college entrance examination syndrome"?

The so-called post-college entrance examination syndrome is not a professional psychological concept, but a general term for a series of common psychological states after the college entrance examination. Some common reactions include emptiness and indulgence, anxiety and worry, etc.

For example, some candidates feel that they did not do well in the exam because the test questions are too difficult, they perform poorly in the exam, some unexpected situations occur, or the results of the questions are not good after the test. This is in sharp contrast to their full confidence before the exam. They become depressed, stay indoors, refuse to see people, and are most annoyed when others ask them "How did you do in the exam?" and even have negative thoughts like "my life is over".

Some other candidates feel that they have done well in the exam, or did not think too much about it and just felt that the burden was finally lifted, so they adopt extreme compensation strategies after the exam, engaging in ultra-intensive, retaliatory fun, which incurs a series of physical burdens, and some even engage in risky behaviors.

What is more common is that some candidates, because the exam has not yet been finalized, have been constantly worrying about their grades, their choices, their majors, and even employment since the end of the exam... They worry about all kinds of issues, to the point of being anxious all day and even suffering from insomnia.

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There are many reasons for the occurrence of "College Entrance Examination Syndrome", but there are roughly the following types:

First of all, there is the sudden release of stress. People's emotions before and after the college entrance examination are actually like riding a roller coaster. Before the exam, stress and tension are constantly accumulating. In the long-term process of bearing stress, the body and mind have adapted to this stress state. However, after the roller coaster passes the "peak" of the college entrance examination, the chronic stress accumulated before is suddenly released, just like a balloon that is suddenly deflated. The body and mind cannot adapt all at once.

The second is the sudden disappearance of the goal. Before the college entrance examination, many candidates' only goal at this stage is the college entrance examination, and for this reason they give up many hobbies and long-term personal goals. After the college entrance examination, this "only goal" suddenly disappears, and new tasks have not yet been "issued", leaving a lot of blank space in life and psychological space. People will feel a sense of emptiness and confusion in their state of mind, which will cause some negative emotions, making them feel that nothing is interesting and they can't cheer up.

Finally, there is the anxiety caused by excessive worry about the test results. In the past study life, various reasons have led some candidates to exaggerate the role of the college entrance examination in life, thinking that if they do well in the exam, everything will go smoothly, and if they do not do well in the exam, everything will be in vain. This either-or mentality has brought them excessive psychological pressure, which in turn has led to anxiety, insomnia and even more serious physical and mental problems.

How to deal with "post-college entrance examination syndrome"

Some candidates and their parents always have a misunderstanding that as long as the results come out and they do well in the exam, all the psychological problems after the exam will be solved. But in fact, "doing well in the exam" is not completely linked to solving the psychological problems after the exam. If you can't correctly face the normal psychological fluctuations at this stage, "doing well in the exam" itself may even cause other problems.

"Post-college entrance exam syndrome" seems to be very common and difficult, but it is not unsolvable. Here are a few tips for your reference:

1. Maintain a good work and rest schedule

After the college entrance examination, do not abandon your pre-exam routine immediately, and do not indulge in late sleep and late wake-up, or play for revenge. A better way is to continue your pre-exam routine for a while, and then slowly make adjustments based on it, such as going to bed half an hour earlier and waking up ten minutes later every day. You can increase your sleep time appropriately after the exam, but don't sleep too much.

In addition, the exam is in summer, which is the hottest months of the year. Before the exam, you need to maintain a light and balanced diet to prevent heat stroke. Do not overeat or drink cold drinks, which will burden your stomach. You should know that the stomach is not only a digestive organ, but also an important emotional organ.

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2. Find hobbies

The best way to prevent "empty heart disease" is to find something you love and work hard for it. Before the exam, many hobbies are forced to give up or put aside due to time reasons and study pressure. After the exam is the best time to pick them up. Plan your time every day, relax and read a few books that you didn't have the chance to read before, learn musical instruments and painting, participate in some voluntary labor and public welfare organizations, or take a holiday job... In short, find something you love and want to spend time and energy on, fill your time, and make the holiday fulfilling. Take action and make yourself gain something every day, and the "sense of meaninglessness" caused by the temporary loss of goals will naturally disappear.

3. Exercise appropriately and participate in outdoor activities

Since ten minutes in the park can effectively cure a tired office worker, it means that appropriate exercise and outdoor activities are also effective in regulating emotions after exams. In fact, the benefits of exercise, especially outdoor exercise, for mood regulation have been repeatedly confirmed. Exercise can lower and regulate cortisol levels, thereby effectively reducing anxiety. As the saying goes, "no anxiety can exist in a relaxed body", anxiety of all origins is the same.

4. Correctly understand the college entrance examination

The last and most important point to solve the emotional problems after the exam is to correctly understand the college entrance examination, not to exaggerate the significance of the college entrance examination to life, abandon this absolute thinking, and recognize that the college entrance examination is just a node in life, it cannot determine a person's future. Keep a calm mind and learn to accept everything. No matter whether the exam is good or bad, a person's future has many possibilities. Similarly, volunteering and majors cannot determine the direction of a person's life.

After the college entrance examination, there are still these things waiting for you to do

Facing this most relaxing and long holiday in recent years, if you want to avoid the "post-college entrance examination syndrome", it is also very important to arrange your time. In addition to the above content, there are many interesting things waiting for everyone to do during this holiday.

1. Travel

There is no time in middle school, and there may be social activities and internships during the holidays after entering college. The summer vacation after the college entrance examination is the most suitable time to arrange a long-distance trip. Going to a place you have never been to broadens your horizons and leaves the city you have always lived in, bringing some freshness to your body and mind.

2. Watch performances and exhibitions

In addition to learning, experiential activities such as watching performances and exhibitions can also recharge yourself. The process of appreciating art and feeling its beauty not only allows you to learn something, but is also a spiritual SPA.

3. Volunteer

Finding a volunteer job to help people, things and things in need can effectively enhance your sense of value and make you feel that "I am becoming a better person."

4. Meet up with friends you haven’t seen in years

Humans are social animals, and social relationships are part of human spiritual resources. This holiday after the college entrance examination is the best time to try to contact classmates and friends who you haven't seen for a long time because of your busy studies. While strengthening friendships, putting yourself in a comfortable interpersonal environment can also effectively reduce anxiety levels.

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5. Imagine the future

This does not mean setting a specific goal or something that you must accomplish. Rather, it means that you should think carefully about what you like, what you love, and what field you hope to develop in in the future. On the one hand, this involves the choice of a major in the near future. On the other hand, imagining the future can bring positive psychological hints and make people feel better. As for more specific plans, it is better to wait until the results come out.

Finally, I want to emphasize again that the college entrance examination is just an exam, it is not the final hammer of life. Just as the Sichuan teenager who was full of relaxation said after the college entrance examination, "Life is full of roads." Believe firmly that as long as you live seriously, stick to what you love, and work hard for it, nothing can stop you from having a bright future.

Author｜likely popular science creator

Review | Fan Chunlei Associate Researcher, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences