On May 27, 2026, a stress-relief training session took place in Dormitory No. 8 of the PSF of BNTU, led by educational psychologist Victoria Vasilyevna. This time, the goal was to help students cope with exam stress and better understand themselves.
The training began with an exercise called "Three Animals." Students were asked to write down three animal associations that reveal different facets of their personality:
The first animal — how you see yourself;
The second animal — how others see you;
The third animal — what is hidden from the outside world.
This exercise helped students reflect on how much their inner self aligns with external perceptions and what qualities remain hidden within.
The next step was creating a map of the inner world. Each participant drew their own unique map, where various elements symbolized important aspects of their personality: values, dreams, fears, memories, and aspirations.
Particularly valuable was the discussion of what each element on the map represented. For some, mountains symbolized overcoming difficulties; for others, a river represented the flow of life.
The final part of the training involved working with two maps: a map of problems and a map of solutions. This method allowed students not only to visualize their current difficulties but also to find concrete ways to overcome them.
Victoria Vasilyevna helped participants understand that every problem has a solution — the key is to ask the right questions and look at the situation from different perspectives.
Such meetings are especially important at the end of the academic year, when students are preparing for exams and experiencing increased stress.
The training showed that psychological well-being is just as important a part of life as academic success. The ability to cope with stress, understand one's emotions, and find inner resources are skills that will be useful to graduates not only during exam sessions but also in their future professional careers.
