Exam season is nearly upon us once more! This can be a very stressful time of the academic year for many of us, so if you’re looking for some tips on how to survive your exams, please read on.

Tip 1 - Revise

Now, this one seems very obvious. But it is very easy to procrastinate your revision and then end up cramming all your content the week or even day before the exam, leading to an immense amount of stress and probably not the grade you were hoping for.

Procrastination is something many people face, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of, but there are ways to overcome it;

• Break tasks down into smaller, more manageable chunks
• Set realistic goals, e.g; “work on my essay for 30 minutes” rather than “finish my essay”
• Create a routine and set regular times for revision

If you want some more personalised support on how to tackle your procrastination, check out this interactive tool by Headspace.

When planning your revision, have a think about what works for you. Do you prefer revising in the morning or the evening? Do you prefer revising by yourself, or with others? Do you prefer revising in a busy environment like a cafe, or a quiet one like the library or your room? Make sure that wherever and whenever you revise, that you remove all distractions - aka, turn your phone on do not disturb!

Tip 2 - Schedule your time

Scheduling your time means you can set clear, attainable goals between now and your exam. Even if you don’t schedule everything else in your life, it’s worth setting aside allocated time slots where you will sit down and revise. You can then use your spare time to relax, go out with friends, and take your mind off the exam stress - this will lead to a far more balanced and healthy approach to revision.

You can use the calendar that’s pre-downloaded on your phone, download an app (Timetree is a good one if you want to share your calendar with friends and family), or get a physical diary.

Tip 3 - Look after yourself

Exam season can be a very stressful time, and it’s important to remember that you are only human! Give yourself some grace and try not to beat yourself up if you find yourself procrastinating. Don’t compare your revision or your work to others - everybody works differently!

Pressure can be good, as it encourages you to get stuff done, but putting too much pressure on yourself can have a detrimental impact on what you are trying to achieve. Therefore, it is important to look after your mind and your body - have regular breaks, get lots of fresh air, and make sure you take time to do activities outside of your studying.

Eating well is also really important - it can be tempting to get takeaways or ready meals as they are quick and easy to cook, but if you eat rubbish, you’ll feel rubbish. Repeatedly having takeaways will make you sluggish, which will then make it so much harder to focus on your work.

Try and reduce your caffeine intake! It will help you sleep better at night, and sleep is crucial during stressful times. Furthermore, if you have too much caffeine, you’ll end up feeling jittery, restless, and unable to focus, which will be no help at all.

Tip 4 - Make every exam minute count

We get it - everybody wants their exam to be over and done with as soon as possible. But rushing through your exam or finishing early can be detrimental. Go back through your paper and check - have you read every question correctly? Are you happy with all of your answers, or is there more you could add? If there was a question you didn’t understand the first-time round, go back and have another crack at it. It’s always better to write something than nothing! You’ve spent so much time revising (and probably stressing!); don’t let it go to waste and try to use your exam time wisely.

Further Resources

Here are some online tools and apps that you may find useful during your exam time. And once again, if you are struggling and need academic support or advice, please reach out to the Advice team.

Quizlet - A website and app that lets you create a variety of study tools to help you revise.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

Pomodoro Timer

Headspace - an app with free guided meditation and tools to help you focus, sleep better, and manage anxiety.

Flora and Forest - these are both apps designed to stop you getting distracted on your phone by growing a forest whilst you study!

Study Bunny - an app where the more you study without going on your phone, the better you can look after your own pet!