Dealing with Exam Stress
Feeling stressed over your exams? Here are some tips from Welfare Officer Annabelle to help you manage the worries...
Do not avoid revision...
Ok, this is an obvious one. Of course, everyone will tell you to revise... However, try not to stress over it too much, traditional revision is not everyone's strong point. My advice is to find what works for you, this might be different than what works for your course mate and that is okay.
Look after yourself!
Again, this is a slightly obvious tip when discussing self-care but if you are revising morning to night with little to no breaks and no time for anything else, you could burn out. Take plenty of breaks, know when to stop for the day and ensure to find the time for things you enjoy. Self-care is key to productivity and reducing stress.
Sleep, eat and drink!
Make sure you are doing enough of each! Think of it as a triangle for winning your exam season, if you are lacking one, two or even all three, you are not going to be at your best in the exam.
Prioritise and manage your time...
Many of you will have more than one exam during this season. This is your reminder to carve out time to prepare for each of them. A common mistake people make is to give everything to preparing for the first exam and find themselves cramming for the remaining exams. Identify when each exam is and plot your time wisely, remembering to include time for other activities.
Try podcasts and videos...
Struggling with traditional revision methods? Not everyone learns the same way and it might mean that you work better with other medias and methods. This could include watching informational videos online, listening to podcasts about the subject or playing educational games. You might find that traditional revision in conjunction with one of the above works well for you.
Use the resources on offer...
Remember, the library is your friend. You could also look for past papers and quizzes for practice and as well as this, some apps can help with studying and stress relief. Look into apps like ‘Headspace’ for helping to reduce stress. Remember that the Library Services Team offer additional resources such as skills@Cumbria and workshops from skills and wellbeing.
There are obvious things to consider such as like starting earlier than you think you should, switching your phone off if you find you are easily distracted, changing up your working location, or try studying with a friend.
