Zen and the Art of Exam Survival: Buddha's Birthday Edition

While much of Hong Kong enjoys the serenity of Buddha’s Birthday, lotus lanterns, temple visits, maybe even a rare moment of peace, parents of exam-taking students are more likely lighting incense in the vague hope it will cleanse the air of teenage angst and essay-induced doom.

It’s that time again. Revision timetables are gathering dust, your child insists they “do better under pressure” and somewhere, a highlighter has exploded across Macbeth.  Time to borrow a little ancient wisdom to get through it all?  This too shall pass.

Here are three of Buddha’s teachings, reimagined for you all, the parents keeping it together - I see you! It’s not quite enlightenment, but it may get you through to June with your sanity (mostly) intact.

Good luck - and especially my Hong Kong students who are revising and not on social media...

1. IGCSE: “All that we are is the result of what we have thought.”

Translation: That “I’m just not good at English” refrain?  It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This is prime time for teenagers to catastrophise.  One wobbly mock result and suddenly they’re destined for academic ruin.   Buddha - being slightly ahead of the growth mindset curve - reminds us that belief shapes behaviour.  And iGCSE is a learning curve, not the final act.  It is hard to remember that sometimes.

Tip: Gently challenge fixed mindset statements.  Celebrate effort, not outcome.  A “you stuck with that essay” and a bar of Cadbury’s means a lot.  And if they’re stuck, consider an external voice to shift the dynamic without triggering the Eye Roll of Doom.

2. IB DP: “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

Translation: No amount of flashcards will fix an overwhelmed teenager at midnight.

The IB, for the uninitiated, is essentially the academic version of a triathlon - relentless, high-stakes, and sleepless nights (and yes, this is a bragging right).  But the pressure to “do it all” often masks what’s really needed: a sense of internal calm and control.

Tip: Encourage pauses.  Real ones.  Help them set limits on screen time and revision marathons.  Model calm (even when you want to scream into a cushion).  And above all, remind them that their value is not attached to a grade descriptor.

3. International A Level: “However many holy words you read… what good will they do you if you do not act on them?”

Translation: Highlighting Purple Hibiscus like it’s a colouring book does not count as revision.

By A Level, your child has probably read so much criticism they’re quoting Stephen Greenblatt in casual conversation - but producing a paragraph on paper?  Suddenly it’s all very “I’m just planning in my head.”  Buddha’s advice?  Action, not aesthetics.  Studying is not a vibe; it’s a verb.

Tip: Ask them to explain an idea to you.  If they can teach it clearly, they know it.  If they can’t, they don’t.  

You don’t need to become a Zen master to support your child through exam season - although if you’ve managed to keep the house stocked with snacks, printer ink, and emotional support without losing it entirely, you may be halfway there.

So this Buddha’s Birthday, take a moment. Breathe. You’re doing brilliantly. They are too - even if it’s in between dramatic sighs and muttered complaints about English Lit or Lang - or both!

And remember: exam season ends. Eventually.