AN EXAMINATION OF PRE-EXAM RITUALS IN HIGHER EDUCATION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF FOLKLORE: THE CASE OF ÇOMU

Creative Commons License

DOYKUN S.

Journal of Education Culture and Society, cilt.17, sa.2, ss.841-854, 2026 (Scopus)

Özet

Aim. The aim of this study is to examine pre-examination ritual practices among students at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (COMU) within the framework of contemporary folklore studies. It explores how belief-oriented and ritualised behaviour persists, transforms and acquires new functions within modern higher education contexts shaped by institutional and digital structures. Methods. The study is grounded in folklore theory, ritual studies and everyday life approaches and adopts a qualitative research design. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 23 undergraduate students from ten different faculties and vocational schools at ÇOMU, representing 15 academic programmes. The data was analysed thematically to identify recurring patterns, symbolic meanings and functional aspects of pre-examination practices. Results. The findings show that students engage in various ritual practices prior to examinations. These include object-centred routines, bodily behaviour and belief-based actions such as praying or carrying items attributed with symbolic meaning. Alongside individual practices, collective rituals — such as peer interaction, shared silence, humour and emotional regulation — play an important role in the pre-examination period. Digital platforms also operate as extended ritual spaces where motivational narratives and symbolic expressions circulate. Conclusions. The study concludes that folklore remains an active and adaptive cultural system within contemporary university life. Pre-examination rituals function as culturally embedded strategies for coping with uncertainty, managing anxiety and reinforcing group cohesion. By conceptualising examination-related practices as modern folkloric expressions, the study contributes to international discussions on ritual, belief and everyday culture in higher education.