Getting through exams

Exams have always been a part of our education and with them comes a degree of stress . How we deal with stress can vary dramatically.

Take it from someone who has been a student almost all their life. I have had my fair share of stress induced mental break downs . I have picked up a number of healthy and unhealthy habits as a coping mechanism to deal with the stress of exams . I have tried numerous different techniques for better stress management. Some worked , some didn’t.

I want to share my experience with other students who maybe struggling to cope with the stress of exams . I am not a professional but here are a few tips that helped me get through those hard times .

1) Be Organised- this is perhaps the most important thing when dealing with stress of exams .

- make a work schedule or revision time table and stick to it

- don’t leave it to the last minute

- practice makes perfect , find past papers and do them within the allocated time .

- use marking schemes to gage what grade you may achieve and for tips on how to improve

- re read your work and be critical of yourself

- ask for help , either from teachers or other students

2) Take care of yourself - good physical health helps aid cognitive function

- eat a balanced diet and snack of healthy food like fruit and nuts

- consider eating more “ brain food” like fish and lots of fruit and vegetables

https://www.eatthis.com/10-best-brainpower-boosting-secrets/

- exercise really does help . Even if it’s just taking a break for a short walk every so often this can really help you focus and retain more information

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennifercohen/2012/05/08/6-ways-exercise-makes-you-smarter/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-athletes-way/201310/scientists-discover-why-exercise-makes-you-smarter

3) Get plenty of sleep - yes I know it is tempting to pull all nighters close to exam deadlines but this really doesn’t help . Getting at least 8 hours sleep a night is way more beneficial .

http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory

A regular sleeping pattern is much healthier than long periods of sleep followed by periods of sleep deprivation. Try and go to bed and wake up around the same time through out the week . Obviously allow yourself some flexibility for events or if you find yourself working on a piece of work and you are on a roll then continue until you start to feel tired. Try to avoid caffeine and sugar in the evening as this can effect your sleep pattern.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/psychiatry-and-sleep/201908/sleep-and-memory-how-they-work-together

Finally, the quality of sleep is so important. Having a clean, quiet and comfortable place where you feel safe and relaxed will help you to sleep better. Id also advise making sure the room is the right temperature or that you just have enough blankets to make you comfortable at night. A worth while investment is black out blinds / curtains or even stick on black out screens for windows or if this isn’t an option due to tight student budget then just sleep eye mask is enough to potentially make a difference.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important#3.-Good-sleep-can-improve-concentration-and-productivity

4) Find a coping mechanism - when things get too much to handle and stress seems to take control then this is a time to find a healthy way to deal with it . This means taking time out from studying and doing something that helps you relax . Try a number of things until you find one that works for you .

http://worldwidejournals.org/index.php/ijar/article/download/1113/1108

Suggestions : listen to music , watch some tv , see friends , do a hobby you enjoy , do exercise , spend time with family , have a nap , play with a pet .

https://augusta.openrepository.com/handle/10675.2/623073

5) Get help - usually most schools offer support and guidance when dealing with the stress of exams . Try your advice centre at your university too as they can offer tips on stress management. If you feel that you are starting to struggle with mental illness then go see your doctor . They can offer valuable advice and even suggest medication and therapy to help make coping with stress easier .

Try contacting your tutors they can often sign post you to student support services such as an advice centre. Most educational institutions have a student support service available and free to access.

6) Don’t panic - this one is easier said than done but it is not the end of the world . Even though stress may make you feel like everything will go wrong if you fail . This is not the case. Often failure is a learning curve and should be seen as a lesson .

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/30-quotes-failure-that-will-lead-you-success.html

Many institutions will offer support to students to help improve their grades you simply have to ask for help. There are often schemes in place to allow students to resit assessments if they do fail to achieve a pass grade. Educational institutions also have a degree empathy for subtends personal circumstances which may have effected their ability to perform to the best of their ability . Many have additional support services available for people with disabilities or learning difficulties. They also ay allow applications for extensions on deadlines if evidence is provided to support a valid reason for the student being unable to complete the assignment on time. There is also something called mitigating circumstances which means that a student can explain any events that happened during their studies that may have effected their abilities to focus on their studies eg: family disruption, hospitalisation, incarceration, eviction, being a victim of a crime, diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition ect. Evidence must be supported to support this application but can mean that if a student does not perform to the best of their ability they me be allowed to redo the assessment without being capped at a certain grade or be given certain allowances like extra time during exams. These applications must be done before the exam or deadline for the assessment has passed.

The main message I wish to get across with this article is be organised, ask for help and look after yourself. If you do these things then it may help reduce stress most people experience while studying.