Aspiring entrepreneur Lakshmi Rajendran hopes to start her own business one day, and the first step is a relevant degree.
The 17-year-old is about to sit her year 12 exams in New South Wales, known as the Higher School Certificate (HSC). Her subjects include advanced English, mathematics, business and economics, and she is aiming for a place at Sydney’s University of Technology.
With exams just days away, like many senior students across the country she is feeling the pressure.
“Definitely stressed out, yeah,” she says outside her high school in Sydney’s south-west.
“Not being able to get into the course I want and disappointing my parents with the expectations they have on me, those are some issues running through my head whilst I prepare for this big moment.”
Lakshmi hopes to qualify for a business degree at university Credit: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
“COVID-19 had a huge impact on us. It changed our study routine and I have lost contact with friends and I feel like my sleep schedule is different, too” she says.
"I stay up later to study and also wake up early feeling the pressure to keep studying. And it changes every day."
Sleep loss is a worrying issue, according to digital youth mental health service provider ReachOut Australia. The organisation recently surveyed 600 young people aged 16-25 across Australia, and the results are revealing.
Almost half of all young people surveyed felt ‘extremely or very stressed about study and exams’ which is consistent with previous years. What is more surprising is a sharp increase in those reporting sleep disruption.
ReachOut Service Director Jackie Hallan Credit: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
“And long-term, sleep deprivation is a really big concern from both a mental and a physical health perspective.”
Macquarie University Clinical Psychology Professor Viviana Wuthrich is an expert in mental health and the impacts of broken sleep which, she says, can lead to ‘significant consequences’.
“Being fatigued, you can get a racing heart, and those jittery feelings which make you feel quite anxious and stressed,” Professor Wuthrich says.
Macquarie University Clinical Psychology Professor Viviana Wuthrich. Credit: Jesse Taylor
ReachOut’s survey also found that 70 per cent of young people who experienced study stress recognised a change in their mood, loss of motivation and an inability to focus.
While a moderate level of stress is okay, Professor Wuthrich says too much is ‘very detrimental’ and not only impacts sleep but also a student’s ability to learn and concentrate.
“So, for many final year students, this is a wonderful time to learn how to manage your mental health, because life comes with many stressors.”
Ella Wraxall is a year 12 student in Sydney, who hopes to be accepted for a double degree in law and psychology at Macquarie University next year. She is using wellness techniques to reduce stress.
“I have actually started meditating, and I have come to realise that it is very helpful,” she says.
“It was suggested to me by a school counsellor, who I saw the previous year. And it has definitely helped with my stress levels.
“I also try to get out of the house and go on walks. That was something that helped during lockdown as well.”
ReachOut Service Director Jackie Hallan says more students are seeking advice about mental health this year, and using wellness techniques to better cope.
“It is one positive to emerge from recent pandemic disruption” she says.
There are other ways to reduce stress such as socialising or playing music, according to Professor Wuthrich.
“Some people find going for a run and doing something that’s really energetic has the same benefit as meditation or yoga,” she says.
“This is very much an individual thing. People need to work out what suits their personality and what works for them.”
Others are avoiding exams altogether, and completing an unscored senior schooling certificate.
Victoria has recorded a steady rise in students achieving a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) without an ATAR in recent years, around 10 per cent of all final year students in 2021 up from 8.3 per cent in 2020.
A Victorian Education and Training (VET) spokesperson says: “The rates of students undertaking unscored VCE have risen over the past five years as students are offered more pathways that don’t require an ATAR. That includes university pre-offers, plus more courses added to free TAFE or other initiatives.
“Other students may choose not to undertake assessment when their circumstances make it difficult to complete a scored VCE program, such as illness.”
Ashley de Silva, CEO of ReachOut Australia. Credit: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
“They are feeling pressure around what will the future look like for me? How will I transition into future work or into employment?” says Ashley de Silva, CEO of ReachOut Australia.
“The bigger questions now are around the uncertainty of life and what the longer tail of COVID will mean.”
It’s also a stressful time for many Australian families, as costs rise and the global economy tilts towards recession.
“We are seeing increased recognition of tension and frustrations in family settings,” says Mr de Sliva.
“For parents and adults and carers in those settings, life has been pretty disrupted and for a lot of people that can still be playing out.”
Even so, he says parents play a key role in helping students manage their study stress.
“Rather than focusing only on the [exam] outcome, recognise and appreciate the effort that young people are putting into preparing and balancing this period of their lives and still prioritising their mental health,” Mr de Silva says.
Changed behaviour may be a sign that students need extra support.
“Physical health impacts [of study stress] among young people include finding it harder to stay motivated around activities that they'd ordinarily enjoy.
“That can be exercise and being active, or even spending time with friends.”
Mr de Silva advises parents and students to stay connected with supportive people. ReachOut offers a range of resources for those worried about their stress levels.
“A really popular resource is our ‘check in with yourself’ quiz.
“By answering a few simple questions, young people can get an overview of how they're going and find guided resources that are really tailored to their experience,” says ReachOut’s Ms Hallan.
“There is also an online community that is a moderated ‘safe space’, where people can share what is going on for them and read about others' experience.
“And that in itself can provide immediate relief for the distress that they are feeling.”
Lakshmi Rajendran says regular study breaks are vital. Credit: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
She also takes part in programs at her high school that aim to reduce the impacts of study stress.
"We are developing workshops at local libraries and encouraging students to do brain break activities, to ensure they're maintaining their mental health and wellbeing," she says.
But the biggest relief of all came recently via text.
“I just had an early offer into the business degree at UTS. It is my dream come true,” she says with a big smile.
This story is part of SBS’s health and wellbeing initiative ‘Mind Your Health’ – visit
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