Everyone knows that exam season is a stressful time and sometimes taking care of ourselves takes second place to making sure we do the best we can in our exams. During exam season, it’s so important for you to look after your own wellbeing. All the revision in the world won’t be enough if you’re mentally and physically exhausted before you even set foot in the exam hall! So: how to deal with exam stress?
Here are some top tips for keeping yourself in top shape for your exams.
Take a little bit of time, even just for five or ten minutes, away from revision. Arrange to meet up with your friends, or watch an episode of your favourite TV show. It’s important to have a break away from revision to make sure you don’t burn yourself out and can concentrate on your work when you return to it.
Drinking enough water is crucial to keep yourself awake! Staying hydrated will help you work well, and exercise is another great way to wake you up, give you energy and refocus your mind so you can carry on with your revision afterwards.
Decide if you’re an early bird or a night owl and work around it. Sleep is so important to consolidate what you’ve learnt during the day, but don’t get into a habit of napping too often as this can leave you feeling drowsy and you may have difficulty sleeping at night. Try to avoid working late into the night if you have an exam the next day – it’s better to be well rested than to cram in a few sentences more!
It can be easy to throw yourself into your work in the library or in your bedroom and forget about the outside world, but make sure you reconnect from time to time. Spending some time with your friends over lunch or dinner is good to remind you everyone is going through the same thing, and it isn’t just you finding things difficult.
This is one of the best methods of how to deal with exam stress. It can be something people are most reluctant to do, but it I think it is one of the best ways to look after yourself in the run up to exams. Take a night off and go to the cinema or see your friends – remind yourself that there is life beyond all the work and is great stress relief.
Words: Ruari McGowan
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