Psychological counseling for students

A few feel only slight excitement at the thought of the upcoming exam. This could also be described as a sign of anxiety. For most, the anxiety and uncertainty is more pronounced, e.g: Trembling, palpitations, sweating, weak knees, tension and a queasy feeling in the stomach through to nausea, stomach cramps and diarrhea are typical physical manifestations of anxiety. Added to this are thoughts of failing the exam. This can lead to sleep disturbances, exhaustion and panic states, which significantly limit performance in the preparation phase and during the exam.

Despite the anxiety, most students manage to cope with the exams on their own or with the help of friends and family. For very few, the anxiety is so pronounced that writing the exam becomes impossible.

When does it make sense to seek help?

• The ability to concentrate and perform is already considerably reduced during preparation due to anxiety and its effects.
• Performance in the exam is greatly reduced due to anxiety, and blackouts can also occur.
• Exams are canceled due to anxiety or students do not register for them at all.
• There is excessive suffering in relation to the anxiety.

Exam anxiety can also occur in conjunction with other anxiety disorders that require treatment, such as phobias, social anxiety and other psychological problems.

Students who would like professional help in dealing with exam anxiety can contact the psychological counseling service. Psychological counseling is free, confidential and unbureaucratic for all students. Furthermore, all registered psychotherapists are of course competent contact persons.

In fact, it does not make sense to put an end to fear, but to use it in a targeted way or to reduce it to a healthy level. To make fear go away would mean repressing it or dealing with a topic that is indifferent to you. Fear is a useful emotion that can be used productively. There are many tricks and tips for dealing better with nervousness and stage fright, which are listed below without claiming to be exhaustive and which we consider helpful from our experience in working with students.
Don't try to implement them all at once! It makes more sense to implement one tip consistently than many tips half-heartedly. Exam anxiety can be prevented by paying attention to certain factors.

In everyday life:

• Your body and mind need time out from studying, so allow yourself enough free time and enjoy life. Allow yourself to do things that are good for you. Ideally, free time should also include a weekend off or two days without university or work. We recommend keeping at least one day a week free just for leisure activities.
• Learn relaxation exercises (e.g. progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, yoga, meditation, etc.). These help to reduce anxiety. Breathing exercises are particularly suitable, easy to learn and can be used anywhere (see workshop offer)
• Before the exam, plan all the nice things you want to do after the exam. This strengthens your motivation and stamina.

Exam situation:

• Attend events organized by the examiner if possible. If you feel confident, contact the examiner in advance, get to know him/her and, if necessary, address your concerns specifically.
• Obtain the examination regulations and clarify the examination requirements in detail.
• Also clarify the possibilities and conditions for an extension.
• Good material preparation can help prevent anxiety.
• Study with others and test each other. Simulating the exam situation helps to reduce anxiety, so try to follow the format of the exam.
• Study according to a plan. Allocate time, exam material and mental energy precisely. This prevents you from burning out, preserves your zest for life and increases your chances of learning and exam success.
• Don't study the day before and on the day of the exam, but do something nice and relaxing for yourself.

Inner attitude (before and during the exam):

• Remember "Nobody is perfect" and mistakes are human.
• Allow yourself to be nervous. Although excitement is initially perceived as unpleasant and disturbing, it shows that the exam is important to you. Try not to let your fears get you down.
• Talk to people you trust about your feelings and, if necessary, seek professional help (e.g. from the university's psychological counseling service).

In the exam:

• Read the questions carefully, have the courage to ask if you don't understand a question.
• First skip topics/questions for which you do not have the answer ready.
• Remember to breathe.

After the exam:

• If you think the mark is unjustifiably poor, have the courage to speak to the examiner and ask to see it.
• Don't study for the next exam on the day of the exam! This will only lead to frustration.
• Do something nice after the exam and celebrate that the exam is over.

There are several books and articles on learning techniques. We have summarized the most important information so that you don't have to wade through them all. This is not an exhaustive list of learning techniques. If you would like more detailed information about learning techniques and/or support in drawing up a learning plan, please contact the psychological counseling service.

Learning habits and their importance for academic success

Attitude towards learning

Our attitude towards a subject or situation has a major impact on how we perceive it and how we deal with it as a result. Inner beliefs are formed from our learning experiences and also from the attributions of others. In addition to inhibiting learning attitudes, there are also supportive ones that make it easier for you to achieve a better performance.

Supportive learning attitudes:

• View studying as an achievable challenge that you actively engage with
• Set realistic goals and remind yourself of past successes to boost your confidence
• Keep your motivation for studying high by making yourself aware of the goals you are pursuing

It is important to note that acquiring supportive learning attitudes and habits is a process. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the various learning techniques at an early stage in order to find a routine that suits you. Try to stay motivated, regularly reflect on your study habits and look for ways to continuously improve your efficiency in your studies. Also remember to take time out during exam periods to relax, for example by socializing or pursuing other hobbies.

As a rule, you can choose between your own room and the library as a place to work. Which is the best place depends on personal preference and the project. Here are a few advantages and disadvantages of both options. We recommend choosing one option and sticking with it. A familiar working environment is conducive to learning and you won't have any difficulties adjusting.

Your own room

Advantages:

• All work equipment is available.
• All documents and aids have a fixed place.
• No superfluous time is lost thinking about what to take with you.
• "Warm-up time" is saved because you sit at your usual workstation straight away.

Disadvantages:

• You are easily accessible to other people.
• Telephone, radio, doorbell, post etc. are distractions.
• Interruptions to work are sometimes necessary because you have to get hold of newly discovered important literature. People who live at home (e.g. parents) have to adapt to the family rhythm.
• The fridge and cupboards are a temptation for "snacks".

The library

Advantages:

• It is difficult or impossible to reach.
• No distractions at home.
• The peace and quiet and the working atmosphere have a stimulating effect.
• Large selection of literature, reference works, bibliographies.
• Stimulating atmosphere due to fellow students

Disadvantages:

• You have to take all your own documents and resources with you from home.
• Loss of time due to organization and travel to the university.
• The time allocation of the day must be based on the opening hours of the library.

A general tip is that work and relaxation should be separated (as far as possible). This applies to both the place of work and the place of leisure. For most people, the sofa stands for relaxation and free time, where it is more difficult to mentally switch to university work than at a desk, for example, i.e. you are more "exposed" to distractions on the sofa.

The desk should be large enough to accommodate all the materials you need. There must also be room for a comfortable writing posture. The chair should not be too soft; slight muscle tension can have a positive effect on mental performance. The computer/laptop should be ergonomically positioned (light, height). Only what is needed for the current work should be placed on the desk. Photos, cell phones, letters and other things distract from work. Consistent order creates a stimulating working environment and protects against distractions.

It is important to ensure fresh air and a pleasant room temperature. Instrumental music can be conducive to some types of work.

The most common difficulties:

• Wasting time: You do too much at once and nothing really intensively;
• Initial inhibitions: Postponed activities serve as an alibi (e.g. cleaning);
• A guilty conscience prevents relaxation.

The prerequisite for good time management is to analyze your daily routine. The best way to do this is to observe your activities over the course of a week and their respective durations:

1st step: every single activity from getting up to going to bed and its duration is written down.

Step 2: Categorize the activities: sleeping, eating, working, etc.

Step 3: Add up how much time you need for each category.

Step 4: Check whether the time spent on the various activities is adequate. Where can you cut back?

Step 5: Plan a sensible daily routine

Time planning cannot be based solely on the balance between work and leisure time. It depends primarily on what you want to achieve and when.

A distinction can be made between long-term and short-term planning.

Long-term planning takes place in three phases:

• Clarification of the long-term goal;
• Clarify the sequence of necessary measures;
• drawing up a timetable.

Short-term planning concerns the weekly and daily timetable:

• Breakdown into work and relaxation time
• Distribution of tasks over the week: e.g. whether certain activities are carried out on certain days;
• Consideration of learning psychology factors, e.g. distributing learning, embedding new learning material in what has already been understood

Each person only achieves a certain level of performance per day. It is important to rarely exceed this normal level. Extending the duration of work beyond the normal does not bring about any improvement. Trying to achieve the same performance in less time (e.g. by working through the night) leads to a drop in performance.

There is a physiological performance curve that generally has two peaks: in the morning between 9 and 10 am and in the afternoon at 5 pm. The performance curve shows a low between 2 and 3 p.m., and the greatest low point is between 2 and 4 a.m. You can find out for yourself exactly when you can learn best.

The average person needs between 6 and 9 hours of sleep. The individual sleep requirement should not be undercut. The consequences of a lack of sleep include Irritability, unwillingness to work, reduced performance, anxiety and depressive moods.

Sitting down and simply "cramming away" does not achieve much. The decisive factor is active engagement with the material, i.e. grasping the content, recognizing relationships and contexts.

This means

• Structuring the material in a meaningful way, e.g. dividing the text into sections, paying attention to and noting connections.
• Forming mental points of support by extracting the main ideas, providing the text with headings.
• Illustration through examples, comparisons, diagrams, graphical representation, etc.

It is also important to have the learning objectives clearly in mind. When sorting the documents, you can already see what is important and what does not need to be learned. This saves time and makes it easier to memorize and retain the important things.

Repetition is essential to ensure that what has already been learned is not forgotten. It is not only the number of repetitions that matters, but also the length of the breaks between repetitions. At the beginning, shorter breaks of a few hours, for example, are recommended, which can be extended to several days over time. The time for repetition should already be taken into account when creating a learning plan and schedule.

You can also sit down with others and discuss your learning progress. Depending on how well you can freely present what you have learned, you will notice what you have already learned and what you might need to look at again in more detail. The others can also give you feedback on how well you have prepared. Psychologically speaking, this confirmation from others is important as you feel more confident with the subject matter.

However, we do not recommend overlearning the subject matter. Overlearning means learning beyond the point at which you have already learned the material sufficiently. Overlearning does not improve memorization of the material. It is better to use this time to rest or for other learning material. Frequent overlearning can cause an aversion to the subject matter.

Emotional stress, such as family arguments or acute psychological stress, e.g. exam situations, can impair learning and reproduction.

A moderate level of excitement promotes learning, but too much excitement or anxiety impairs performance. It is therefore important to prepare yourself mentally for the exam. This means, for example, that you imagine how you will take the exam and be successful. When studying, you can remember more if you expose yourself to as little visual and acoustic stimuli as possible directly after studying (Instagram and TikTok directly after studying are unfortunately not a good idea). This is because immediately following strong stimuli "overlay" or mix with what you have previously learned.

Using what you have already learned as a reminder

What you have already learned can influence what you are about to learn in a positive or negative way. If the most important aspects of the old learning material are still known and familiar, it is possible to assign them to the new content. The new knowledge then does not have to be learned in isolation, but can be linked to the familiar material.

Retaining the learning material is not a simple "conservation". You have to actively engage with the content, reassess old knowledge and actively establish connections with new material. A key aim of studying is to acquire new knowledge with the help of previously acquired skills and information.

Group work is a good way to prepare together and work on specific topics.

However, group work cannot replace individual work. Certain work must first be done alone, e.g. working through a text alone and then discussing it in the group. This discussion helps to better process and retain what has been learned. Group work is almost indispensable, especially when preparing for exams. It provides both technical and emotional support.

The ideal group works like this:

• The atmosphere is relaxed and informal.
• There is a lot of discussion involving all group members. However, the discussion always remains factual.
• The task is clear to everyone, the goal of the joint work is understood and accepted by every member.
• The participants listen to each other and every contribution is appreciated.
• In the event of differences of opinion, the causes are investigated, discussions are held and divergent views are not simply suppressed.
• Decisions are made by consensus.
• Criticism is frequent and open, but remains factual and is not taken personally.
• All participants express their opinions openly.
• Before a task is tackled, there is a clear allocation of roles that is accepted by everyone.
• The person in charge does not dominate, nor does he or she serve as a scapegoat or is burdened with unpleasant tasks. Leadership is delegated according to the circumstances, with no power struggle ensuing and the focus on solving the task at hand.

Some practical tips for group work:

• The group should be small enough for everyone to have the courage and opportunity to speak.
• The group should be large enough so that enough knowledge or opinions are represented.
• All members should be of equal rank (no authority figures).
• If possible, the discussion should be led in turns.
• All participants must be prepared (through prior reading, assignment).

Many people find that they can't do anything with their notes despite taking notes diligently during lectures. Others don't manage to get anything down on paper in the short time available.

There are two things you can do wrong:

• Not taking notes.
• Taking everything down.

Advantages of taking notes:

• It forces you to follow the topic.
• It relieves the memory.
• It increases attention, enables better absorption and retention of the material.
• It incorporates more meaning into the absorption process, making it more intensive.
• It makes it easier to process the information because you have to formulate it yourself.

Note-taking techniques:

• Do not take notes immediately when lecturers start a sentence, but only when you have grasped the information.
• Note down only the most important information, pay particular attention to connections.
• Note down definitions, quotations, laws, etc. verbatim.
• Revising the transcript is necessary and should be done as soon as possible after taking it. Gaps should then be closed, the basic ideas of the material structured, doubts cleared up by consulting the literature, own thoughts noted in the margin.

Some practical tips:

• Use loose sheets of A4 paper, leave the reverse side blank, with a margin on the left for perforations and a margin on the right for your own comments and references - or create a Word document as a template
• Note the speaker, type of event, date, topic, etc.
• Start each new piece of information with a new line.
• Indicate relationships between pieces of information using symbols (e.g. = follows from).
• Write down the speaker's outline.
• Use abbreviations and formulate them concisely.
• Schematize relationships.

Reading is not just reading.

By answering the question "What do I want to know?" you can clarify whether you need a particular book or not. It is best to formulate your own question in writing. This prevents you from reading around unsystematically, you don't get lost in details and your understanding is promoted, which means you can remember more.

If you find it difficult to develop questions about the text, the so-called "W questions" can help: Why? What for? What? How?

Lecturers often also indicate in the lectures which literature you should read.

Different types of reading

Cursory reading: Quick, cursory reading for initial information. You get a brief overview of the content of the book.

Selective reading: You read the text with certain aspects in mind.

Comparative reading: Thorough reading of individual chapters of different texts that deal with a topic from different points of view.

SQ3R method

Survey- gaining an overview, looking through

- Cover flap, foreword, table of contents, summary.

- Title, main title, subtitle

Question- Questions:

- What questions do you want to answer by reading the text, what do you expect, what might the topic be related to? From which author's point of view is the text written? Write down your questions!

Read- Reading:

- Search for basic ideas, main statements.

- Clarify terms to understand content.

- Distinguish between facts and opinions.

Recite- Recap:

- Looking away from the book, trying to recall what you have read. Answer questions asked.

- Write down the most important sentences from memory, using your own wording!

- Underline sparingly.

Review- Repeat:

- Read through the notes, make connections to the individual areas, reread where you are still unsure, skim the headings again.

- Immediate repetition guarantees better retention.

If you are interested in psychotherapy, you probably have a lot of questions on your mind.

• What treatment methods are available?
• Who actually covers the costs?
• How long does it take?
• What will be done to me?
• Can it really help?

Just like you, many other people feel the same way, but hardly anyone talks about it. For many people, having a psychological problem or condition is still embarrassing or shameful. Many people think it's not their fault if they have a cold or break a leg, but they are somehow responsible for relationship problems, a life crisis, depression or alcohol addiction and perhaps just don't have enough control over themselves. However, it is true that we are often dependent on the help of others to solve our problems. We usually go to our partner or friends for support and help. However, if our problems get out of hand, it may be necessary to seek expert and neutral help. In addition, many mental health conditions are serious illnesses that require treatment and whose consequences you cannot deal with on your own.

Our healthcare system is there to provide appropriate treatment for people who are ill. Behind many physical illnesses, such as migraines, neurodermatitis or stomach problems, there may be psychological causes, among others

Psychosocial stress factors relate to social circumstances and can have a psychological impact, e.g. unemployment, lack of prospects, pressure to perform, climate change. This can lead to psychological consequences such as a feeling of helplessness and being overwhelmed or even mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders or depression.

If you feel like this or similar, it can be helpful to visit a counseling center or start psychotherapy. With the help of expert and experienced counselors and psychotherapists, you can find out the causes of your suffering and work out solutions. The general aim of psychological counseling or psychotherapy is to identify connections to your personal life story and develop new patterns of behavior.

Various professional groups work in counseling centers: social workers, doctors, educators, psychologists. Most of them have completed additional counseling or therapy training. Only psychologists work in our psychological counseling service.

Among the psychotherapists in private practice, a distinction can be made between psychologists and doctors with an additional psychotherapeutic title. The different training courses result in different perspectives on human nature. What both professional groups have in common is that they have undergone extensive additional psychotherapeutic training after their studies.

You may be unsure where you can get the best treatment for your problem. First of all, it is important that you seek help. Regardless of whether you come to us or go to another counseling center or a psychotherapist of your choice, they will take time for you and your concerns and, if necessary, refer you to a more suitable place.

The titles of the counseling centers give a rough indication of what kind of issues you are in good hands with. We are particularly good people to contact if you are having difficulties with your studies. For relationship problems, marriage, family and life counseling is a good place to go, for addiction problems, addiction or drug counseling and for women who have experienced violence, the women's counseling center is a good place to go. Younger students can also visit the counseling center for parents, children and adolescents in the event of conflicts with their family of origin, as can students who already have children with behavioral problems. In the case of mental illness, a psychotherapist should be consulted.

Often a problem area cannot be clearly defined or you cannot assess it yourself. In such cases, seek advice.

The consultations at the General and Psychological Counseling Service of the University of Siegen are only accessible to students of the University of Siegen and are free of charge. The services offered by many other counseling centers are also generally free of charge.

Psychotherapy is a service provided by statutory health insurance. This means that the statutory health insurance funds generally cover the full cost of psychotherapy.

In many regions of Germany, there are too few psychotherapists with statutory health insurance approval. As a result, patients often have to wait months for a treatment slot.

Private health insurance benefits are not regulated uniformly. If you have private insurance, you need to check what is in your contract.

There is no general answer to this question. Psychological counseling sessions are shorter than psychotherapy. Sometimes a single appointment is enough. However, counseling processes can also last several months.

In psychotherapy, a distinction is made between so-called short-term therapy, which lasts up to 24 sessions, and so-called long-term therapy.

There are various ways of finding a therapy place. We would like to present two of them here:

• 1. you can get support in your search from the appointment service center of the Westphalia-Lippe Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. There is a search mask where you can find psychotherapists in private practice by entering the zip code and "Psychotherapie"(https://www.kvwl.de/arztsuche). If you need an initial consultation as soon as possible, you can contact the patient service(https://www.116117.de/de/index.php
  ).
• 2. the university's psychotherapeutic outpatient clinic offers psychotherapy for adults, children and adolescents. You can make an appointment for an initial consultation by telephone or fill out the contact form provided. Information on this can be found on the website of the Psychotherapeutic University Outpatient Clinic

If you have any further questions about seeking psychotherapy, please contact the counselors at the Psychological Counseling Service. Further information at: Ways to psychotherapy - A guide for those seeking help (wege-zur-psychotherapie.org).