Exam Survival Tips - Keeping sane during the exam period

- Grace

Exams; even the word makes me feel uneasy!! The stress, the pressure, the fear of the unknown... However I am sure we have all taken exams before, we know what we need to do and kind of even what to expect.

But I often ask myself: how come all this experience still dosent help? You still feel as anxious as you did when you sat your first exam. I know I should be telling you how exams aren't bad and paint a positive picture, but I have to be honest, yes exams do suck, they are difficult and this isn't going to change anytime soon!

However, you can follow some tips to help make exam periods that little bit easier, and essentially to make sure that you keep your sanity!!!

1) Time management - make sure you construct a revision time table to stay on track

2) Relaxation - don't forget to plan time to relax and have fun as well; you can't constantly work, our brains aren't built for this and you need something to look forward to each day; be it a cuppa tea and biscuits, watching a movie or having a laugh with friends 

3) Get outside - don't keep yourself locked up in your room, get outside and enjoy the sun, walk in the fresh air, keeping your body active means keeping your mind active.

4) Support from friends and family - don't forget you have your loved ones, don't be afraid to let them know if you are struggling, get them to test you on your revision or even teach them one of your topics to help you remember everything more easily, just remember your loved ones are there for a reason and will do anything to help you through exam time.

5) Healthy diet - I understand that juggling your time to fit in cooking, let alone cooking a proper meal is hard but this is important; eating rubbish will make you brain feel rubbish (don't get me wrong you can still have treats - your revising, you 100% deserve your favourite snacks).

6) Vitamins - make sure you get all your vitamins, be it through getting 5 a day, going out in the sun or by taking tablets to ensure you reach your bodies optimum levels (Grace's tip: cod liver oil - it's great for the brain!)

7) Speak to those who aren't stressed - those people on different courses to you with different exam dates, those perhaps who have none at all, these are the people who might be able to restore your calm and create a better atmosphere for your revision breaks !

Most of all remember to stay positive and keep in mind that you have done exams before and passed, believe you can do it and you can.

For more tips about managing exam stress, check out the Student Minds Guide to Exam Stress, which has lots of tips and links to all the best external resources!