Standing Up To Her Fears

“Taking an exam scares me,” says Natasha Nadya Bte Kamarun Z, 19, who received her GCE A-level examination results last Friday, 1 March 2013.

One may think this is nothing surprising – who isn’t nervous at the thought of sitting for an exam? But what made it more challenging for Natasha was that she was diagnosed with anxiety disorder three years ago.

“People with anxiety disorder usually worry unduly. I will feel overwhelmed by my emotions and will find it difficult to control that sense of doom,” said Natasha.

In her first year at Jurong Junior College, Natasha was afraid to go to school. To her, the new environment meant larger crowds, unfamiliar faces and loud noises, which tend to upset people with anxiety disorder. Medication which made her drowsy also affected her attendance and she was frequently absent during the first eight to ten months.

“The A-level journey has developed me. Instead of avoiding my problems, I have learnt to overcome my fears and be more independent,” said Natasha.

Facing her Fears

It was during the time spent at home that she began to envision her future.

“I told myself that attending school and studying is for my own good. As I grow older, I must learn to be independent and not constantly rely on my parents,” said Natasha, who was determined to confront her fears and succeed.

She tried sleeping and waking up earlier, to shake off the drowsy effects of the medication. After two months, it became a routine and she started attending school regularly. Mdm Yasmin Mustaffah, her mother, would support her by accompanying her to school at times, to bolster her courage.

When the symphonic band needed a saxophone player, Natasha volunteered to put down her clarinet and learn the new instrument. In year two, she played a solo on the saxophone during an annual band performance at Republic Polytechnic.

“Performing solo wasn’t too scary because a band’s success is defined by everyone’s performance. I didn’t feel like I was alone,” said Natasha.

“This was remarkable to me, as Natasha is usually adverse to crowds and noise. To me, it was a great improvement,” said Mdm Yasmin.

Drawing Strength from People

Miss Tay Lai Ling, Principal of Jurong Junior College, used a whole-school approach to help Natasha, by involving all her teachers, a counsellor and school leaders.

“My teachers didn’t judge me superficially,” said Natasha.

When she was absent from class, Natasha would study notes passed to her by classmates, and catch up on work at home. All her teachers would respond when she sent questions by text and her civics teacher, Mr Chong Kheng Wye, also spent time talking things through with her to allay her fears.

“Natasha’s progress has affirmed our support structure and expanded our expertise to help students with similar conditions,” said Miss Tay.

“During the first week of school, I met up with all her subject teachers, so they could understand her situation and why she might be late or need to be excused from class for a breather,” said Mdm Yasmin, who is grateful for the strong support and communication provided by the school.

For the A-level examinations, provisions were made by the school and the Ministry of Education (MOE) for her to sit in a separate room. She was better able to cope by being away from the crowd, tension and noise of the rest of the cohort before the paper began.

“I cannot thank them enough for what they have done for her,” said Mdm Yasmin.

The care and support by the school paid off, as shown by her good A-level exam results and increased confidence.

Perspective for the Next Phase in Life

“The anxiety disorder will remain, but now, I know I can overcome it. There will always be problems in the future, but I can learn to handle them,” said Natasha.

Looking forward, she intends to apply for a mechanical engineering course in university.

“We are all very proud of her,” said Miss Tay, “Natasha is disciplined and makes sound decisions. I’m very confident that she will do well in university.”