Around 145,000 students in the Netherlands began their central final exams on Tuesday, with student organisation LAKS (the national student body) launching a dedicated stress helpline for the first time alongside its established exam complaints line. The new service, run in partnership with mental health platform In je bol, connects students experiencing exam pressure with volunteers who can help them manage stress and anxiety through to the final exam date on 27 May. Amsterdam UMC psychiatrist Christiann Vinkers noted that some stress is functional and sharpens focus, but cautioned that excessive pressure impairs concentration and memory.