Stress Management for the Exam Period
Tips to keep calm and focused during your revision
It is only natural that you will feel stressed and anxious during the period for exams. Symptoms of stress often include tension, low moods, difficulty sleeping and withdrawal.
While this is normal, some people will find it easier to cope with stress levels than others. Being stressed can impact on your ability to study and process information, in addition to potentially affecting exam performance. By recognising signs of stress and taking conscious steps to remedy this, hopefully you will find your exams more manageable and successful.
Our Student Services department often recommend the following to relieve students stress:
1. Take time off and take regular rests during study periods. A good study plan, will help you balance your learning and rest time during the lead up to exams
2. Partake in physical exercise - this will boost endorphins, clear your head and help you sleep at night
3. Double check the details of the exam the day before: location, time, requirements (calculator etc.) so that you feel prepared for the day
4. Try to get a good rest the evening before an exam and avoid cramming if possible - you are far less likely to retain information if you are tired
5. Arrive at the exam centre in plenty of time and avoid students who are asking each other questions - have confidence in your own knowledge and preparation: each student is different
6. Read the entire exam paper before you start writing and highlight the questions you plan to tackle, allowing yourself allocated time for each question so that you have time to read over the exam at the end.
Once you have completed your exam, leave the centre, congratulate yourself on your achievement and focus on your next paper. Avoiding the post mortem will keep you positive and motivated on achieving the best results possible.
