Exam stress is an inevitable part of any uni students life; frustrating, irritating, yet inevitable. However, there are many ways to manage and cope with exam stress to make uni life that little bit easier.
This is a super easy way to manage your work load and ultimately reduce exam stress. Setting realistic daily, weekly and termly goals and to do lists will allow you to follow a revision/coursework plan that’s suited to you and and will subsequently avoid the all too familiar head fog and brain jumble that comes with trying to mentally recall all your exam dates, revision topics and to do lists. A weekly to do list will also help with time management as you know what you need to get done on which day, therefore you are using your time concisely and effectively. You will also be able to easily see your free-time and spend that time dong things you enjoy, or simply relaxing, which is vital to reduce your stress and continue to work effectively for extended periods.
A few minutes of mindfulness every day is one of the most effective ways to reduce exam stress and anxiety during one of the busiest times of your academic year. Apps such as Calm, Headspace and Buddhify are all effective and useful tools that you can use in your daily life to reduce stress and anxiety, increase your attention span and encourages rationalisation of your stress; all vital qualities in order to manage your stress and succeed in your exams. These apps also offer specific sessions on different issues, including stress. This gives you guidance and exercises that you can implement in your daily life to reduce or even eliminate exam stress.
Poor diet, lack of sleep and minimal exercise can all contribute to your anxiety and ultimately your exam stress. In order to reduce symptoms of anxiety and increase your chances of working efficiently and coping with exam stress, try and avoid large quantities of caffeine, increase your intake of fruit and veg (brain food!) and ensure that you’re sleeping at least 8 hours per night. This will not only help you reduce stress, but also make you a healthier student in general, which is always a bonus!
Revising with your peers in the run up to exams can really help with your general morale, attitude towards revising and can stimulate your brain and therefore will make revising much more enjoyable for you; a perfect way to get work done, spend time with friends and maybe have a little fun on the way. Having the opportunity to quiz each other and test each others knowledge can often increase your motivation to learn and actually absorb the information you need to know, which is ideal for reducing exam stress and working efficiently in the run up to your exams.
The power of visualisation is more powerful than you know; believe that you will succeed, and you will! Repeating your goals daily with an ‘I will’ attitude as opposed to an ‘I want to’ attitude, will inevitably encourage confidence in your own abilities and ultimately the things you’re stressing over: failing your exams, your workload or self-doubt; will all slowly start to disappear. The power of positivity can really carry you through your exam period in ways that you wouldn’t quite believe, and this is a method that is effective in all aspects of life.
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