The Girls in Tech (GIT) Guyana chapter on Friday hosted a “coping with exam anxiety” forum for women who are enrolled in tertiary-level institutes to help them solve anxiety and stress-related issues in preparation of upcoming end of year examinations.
The forum was held at the University of Guyana’s Education Lecture Theatre.
According to Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran, the Managing Director of the GIT’s Guyana chapter, the event was held to help women gain confidence and overcome various mental obstacles, such as anxiety, stress and nervousness, which stand in the way of achieving their goals. She said this is the second event that GIT has hosted since its establishment in August.
The forum was open to all women who are attending tertiary level institutes and others who have just started their career. However, despite the open invitation only a few women attended the event, which allowed for one on one sessions with lecturers Jonathan Yearwood and Miguel Gurchuran. Yearwood gave study tips to the small group before the women were allowed to share their own experiences with mental issues, while Miguel Gurchuran recounted his own experience of overcoming anxiety and panic attacks.
Kanhai-Gurchuran said that they decided to host the forum to help prepare the women for examinations, which are scheduled for next month. She said the deficit in attendance was probably due to classes that were ongoing on campus.
Regardless, Kanhai-Gurchuran said that the absence of people allowed for them to have one-on-one sessions, which is what most persons prefer to have. She revealed that the event is part of the ongoing Mentor/Mentee programme.
She said that the goal of the programme is to identify and solve the obstacles keeping mentees from achieving their professional goals.
This event was made possible through a collaboration with the University of Guyana’s Computer Science Department and sponsors BPI Guyana and Metro Office and Computer Supplies.