How to actually deal with exam stress

How to actually deal with the stress of exams

The title of this may make this seem like the dullest article ever, but hopefully it helps people and isn’t too boring to read, as there are definitely going to be some people struggling with exam stress (myself included) who will benefit from some of the tips in this article.

Hopefully you have had some time to revise over half term, as revising early and being able to go over topics a few times will help you retain information. I can’t say I haven’t procrastinated my revision...but I know that when I have revised earlier the information has definitely been easier to remember! This may be because closer to exams, my mind tends to be a lot more cluttered with stress which doesn’t concern me a month or so before my exams.

Before I move on, it is important to mention that stress is completely normal and is healthy at times like this, especially when there are lots of other things going on. Now I have said that here are some other tips that may help you avoid unnecessary stress in general, but particularly during exam times.

1.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance. As much as revision and school work is important, it is also important to care for yourself and do things that make you happy! Even as exams get closer, you should not be spending all of your time revising and should take breaks regularly to reduce chances of become overwhelmed with work. Something that helps with this is creating a revision timetable and scheduling breaks from work so that you can be sure to cover everything you need to revise, but also take time to do other things.

2.

Exercising - I know people say this a lot, but exercise is actually a very good stress reliever! It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do, or how much it gets your heart racing- any exercise is bound to boost your mood and has been proven a countless number of times to reduce stress. Exercising with friends, even if it is just going for a walk, is a good way of reducing stress.

3.

Sleeping well - Of course, with schoolwork and other activities, it can seem impossible to get a full 8-10 hours of sleep, but if you organise your time (timetable!!), you can work out how to get the best amount of sleep possible. Sleep is so important, and a lack of it can make you more irritable and can affect your ability to concentrate, which is definitely important during exams!

Other Tips

- Put things into perspective: exams are not the most important thing in the world, and other things such as your own health should be your priority.

- Reduce caffeine intake, as caffeine is known to increase anxiety.

- After an exam is over, try to move on and prepare for other exams.

- Don’t be too hard on yourself!

- Try not to surround yourself with people who are very stressed, especially if you know they will make you more stressed.