It's that time of year again and in the lead-up to the final weeks of exam season, students have been tackling their revision in a rather unconventional way

Thousands of students will sit their A-Level and GCSE exams in the next few weeks before school’s out for summer, but with so much information to take in, this can be a particularly stressful time. MyTutor, a leading online tutoring platform, is determined to make it a little easier for students by creating a free resource designed to make revision more memorable and engaging, using TikTok.

Their study reveals that 59% of students in the UK use social media to aid their studies, with 27% using it as a “go-to” learning source. 30% of pupils use online platforms like YouTube to consolidate their learning, suggesting that traditional study techniques may no longer be the best way to retain information.

The pandemic has brought about this shift in learning behaviour as classroom-based studies have moved online. As such, social media has now become an invaluable tool for students across the country, with a focus on more self-directed learning. Platforms such as TikTok give communities of pupils access to channel their learning and process information in an easily digestible way using hashtags like #StudyTok.

This prompted MyTutor to create the “TikTok Textbook”, aimed at bringing learning materials online. It includes bite-sized videos that break down some of the hardest GCSE and A-Level questions from exam boards OCR and AQA. Since its launch, it has already generated 1.8 million views on its expert revision tips and emotional well-being advice.

"As university students, our tutors have recent experience of sitting their exams and through the TikTok Textbook they will also be offering expert revision tips, as well as advice for students to prioritise their emotional well-being during these high-pressure times." Bertie Hubbard, CEO of MyTutor.

So, if your children are struggling to understand radioactive half-lives or they want to perfect their French grammar, taking to social media could be the way forward.

Stress is a natural emotion, but if you are concerned about a child or teen’s stress levels or mental health, there are techniques you can implement to help children deal with exam nerves.

How can I help my child during exam season?

Keep things in perspective

It’s important that children have a parent or guardian they can speak to openly and honestly. Let them know that you are there to help and talk if they need anything.

Maintain good habits

Encourage your children to eat a balanced diet, exercise, get a good sleep and have downtime to keep their bodies and minds healthy while studying.

Try to avoid additional pressure

Checking in on your children may seem like a good idea, but it can make children feel more pressured or less confident. Instead, try to take a step back and offer support whilst avoiding criticism.

For more tips on how to support your children during exams, read our article 5 ways to help kids with stress.

Sometimes, it may be beneficial to try alternative methods to control exam stress. Hypnotherapy is a method commonly used to control exam

Birth anxiety is a common experience, but it doesn’t have to rule you

Birth anxiety is extremely common – thought to affect up to 80% of women, with a further 14% experiencing ‘tokophobia’, a severe fear of childbirth. And, if we take a minute to consider where this fear might come from, it doesn’t take long to come up with some hypotheses.

“When we think about the images and perceptions of birth which flood our subconscious from early childhood, it’s no wonder labour and birth are surrounded by feelings of fear and apprehension,” says Samantha Phillis, counsellor, midwife, and hypnobirthing teacher. “Women are usually portrayed as helpless, screaming in agony, relying on another person (usually a man, like a doctor or husband) to rescue them. Normal labour and childbirth are, quite frankly, not dramatic enough to make ‘good television’.”

Samantha goes on to explain how, even in supposedly ‘real’ portrayals of birth on mainstream television – One Born Every Minute being one example – what you see on the screen is likely to have been edited to ramp up the drama. “Women are usually in the ‘lithotomy’ position (on their backs with their legs in stirrups), lots of people in the room telling them to ‘PUSH’, with a lot of noise and seemingly a considerable amount of drama.”

But the consequences of this kind of culture are more sinister than simply making the whole thing look a bit unappealing.

All those stories, sometimes passed down through the generations – of births gone wrong, near-misses, emergencies, accidents, and trauma – stick with us. Those stories help to continue the cycle of fear, and that fear can become self-fulfilling.

“Physically, the effect of anxiety can actually increase how we experience pain,” Samantha explains. “When we are tense, we reduce the amount of oxygen flowing to our muscles (known as a state of hypoxia) which increases the experience of pain.”

She points to Grantly Dick-Read’s description of the ‘fear-pain-tension’ cycle in his 1921 book Childbirth Without Fear – which outlines how the more that we fear the pain of birth, the more tense we will feel and therefore the more we will experience pain. What’s more, fear can also prolong the labour, caused by the release of adrenaline when we’re frightened.

“One of the most important hormones we require for labour to progress is oxytocin,” Samantha explains. “Oxytocin is a shy hormone that needs privacy, dim lights, and for you to feel safe in order to work effectively. When adrenaline is released, oxytocin is inhibited, therefore labour will slow down or even stop if women do not feel safe.”

When it comes to tackling birth anxiety, Samantha has plenty of practical tips – including avoiding negative stories, reworking your mindset, and building support systems – but she also highlights how the key to having a more empowered and positive experience is having trust in your body and your instincts.

“We kind of ‘overthink’ birth, which can interfere with the labour process,” she explains. ȁ

If you’re feeling lost, detached from your purpose or low on energy, spiritual coaching may be just what you’re looking for

We live in a time when there is an abundance of supportive professionals available to us. Whether we’re looking to change our relationship with food, heal from past events or update our thinking habits, chances are there’s someone out there who can help us.

But what if you’re not totally sure what you need? Perhaps you’ve just been feeling off lately, like you’re not living to your full potential. You know something needs to change, but you can’t put your finger on what.

This is where spiritual coaching can come in, helping you gain clarity and purpose. The term ‘spirituality’ can make us think of religion, and while some spiritual coaches do work in this space, for many it’s simply about connecting to something outside of ourselves.

What can a spiritual coach help with?

We asked inner peace and abundance coach Joana Calado how spiritual coaches can help and these are the areas she highlighted:  

• feminine/masculine energy balance for optimal alignment and fulfilment
• higher life purpose and soul agreements
• spiritual guidance and intuition
• how to protect your energy from being drained
• manifesting with the laws of the universe

If there are some terms in there you don’t recognise, don’t worry - let’s take a closer look at what they mean and how a spiritual coach can support you.

Energy balance for optimal alignment

Many spiritual coaches will work with energy, with a goal of balancing your energy to help you achieve your goals and fulfil your purpose. There are thought to be femine and masculine energies within all of us; the masculine energy typically deals with ‘doing’, with the logical mind and being goal-focussed. The feminine energy is believed to deal more with ‘being’, with creativity, intuition and empathy.

By bringing these energies into balance we can enjoy the best both have to offer, giving us the space to be creative and empathetic while taking action towards our goals. A spiritual coach can look at this balance and help you bring energies into alignment.

Higher life purpose and soul agreements

Your higher purpose can be described as a purpose that is beyond yourself. This often means it benefits others and encourages them to grow along with you. The idea behind soul agreements (also called soul contracts) is that before we’re born, our souls make an agreement with others about what they want to learn in human form.

Essentially, this is about uncovering what you want from life, what your true calling may be and what you want to learn during your time on earth. A spiritual coach can help you navigate this, offering reflections and exercises to bring you closer to your answers.  

Spiritual guidance and intuition

Spiritua

The anniversary of a traumatic event can bring up feelings you experienced at the time, even years later. Learn more about these ‘anniversary reactions’ and ways that you can cope

The images of Grenfell Tower engulfed in flames will forever be etched in our nation’s memory. Half a decade on from the horrific fire, our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones, the survivors, and the wider Grenfell community.

This kind of anniversary - one resulting from a traumatic event, be it a national or worldwide disaster, or an individual loss - can reactivate many thoughts and feelings from the time, creating a kind of ‘anniversary effect’. You may be more likely to remember events clearly and feel emotions more intensely than usual.

Here, we’ll explore what the anniversary effect is in relation to trauma and grief, and how to cope around the time of a traumatic anniversary.

What is the ‘anniversary effect’?

The ‘anniversary effect’ is felt on or around a date that marks a significant event. It might be the date a loved one died or their birthday, or the day an assault or accident happened. As that date nears, memories can start to resurface, and it can feel like you’re experiencing the annual echo of a trauma.

Although being reminded of difficult feelings around an anniversary is a common and normal part of the grieving process, it can be distressing. Anniversary reactions can also signal that you’re not yet over the trauma of your experience and may need to process or work through your grief. As a result, some researchers feel that this anniversary reaction should be listed as a symptom of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

In this video, trauma specialist Greg James explains more about trauma, including how we process trauma, what is considered a traumatic event, the differences between trauma and PTSD and what support is available.

If you have a difficult date approaching, here are some techniques to help you deal with the anniversary effect.

Plan ahead

Take time to think about the months ahead and note any dates that have painful memories attached to them. Remind yourself that the days or weeks leading up to these dates could be tough for you.

Particularly if you’ve experienced an anniversary reaction before and feel you might be vulnerable again, let supportive friends and family members know so they can be there for you.

Reduce your media consumption

As well as being mindful of your own anniversaries, it can be helpful to be aware of any public traumas, such as terrorist events or natural disasters that will receive mass media coverage.

It’s likely that, during these times, there will be an increase in imagery and stories of the event that you may find distressing, and which could trigger your own personal memories. It could be helpful to try to limit how much news you consume online or on the TV around these times.

Read more

Are you feeling disconnected from yourself, or lacking direction? A little introspection, and some time and space to soul-search could lead you down the pathway to you best self

Hello Happiful readers,

The thrill of knowing where you’re heading, even if you don’t know exactly how you’re going to get there, is hard to beat.

That certainty in your heart about what it beats for, what fuels your fire, and guides your spirit, can give you courage in the face of any challenge, and a quiet confidence that you know your true purpose.

But, at the moment, there seems to be a collective feeling bubbling below the surface; a sense of being lost, lacking direction, or that we’re set on a course that isn’t fulfilling us any more.

We might feel adrift in a sea of uncertainty, carried along by a current that we’re struggling to break free from.

So, how can we find our way again? And is it possible to take back control of our own destiny?

The solution could be to give ourselves the time and space to do a little soul-searching, to quench our curiosity, and explore our true needs on the ever-changing path of life.

Issue 63 of Happiful is all about that journey to figuring out your innermost needs and desires – what is your guiding star?

From taking the plunge and chasing adventure with adult gap years on p48, to growing older with joy on p17, and a guide to finding your true calling on p32, it’s time to discover what speaks to you.

Plus, this print edition includes:

• In-depth journaling pages to nurture your personal growth, and help you flourish as your best self.

• Essential life hacks from addressing ADHD in the workplace, to what to do on the really bad days, and how to find a healthy balance with news consumption.

• Professional insight from a range of experts on topics including birth anxiety, weaponised incompetence, nature therapy, and nutritious, refreshing recipes.

Don’t worry about the direction everyone else is setting sail on; follow your own intuition. Now is the moment to break free from your comfort zone, and discover the great unknown longing in your life.

As JRR Tolkien wrote: “Not all those who wander are lost.”

Sometimes, when you stray from the path, and create your own, is exactly when you find yourself.

Rebecca Thair
Editor

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