Exam season can be hectic and frightening. For the majority of us, exam pressure can cause stress and anxiety and can even make you shed a few tears. This is completely normal BUT taking care good care of yourself during this period is the best way to help both your mental and physical health.
Revising may be your first priority right now, however, making sure that you are both physically and mentally healthy increases the chance of you acing your exams. Having a clear mind helps you to better understand what to revise and allows you to be more organised. A revision timetable is especially useful for this, as scheduling when to revise - as well as when to relax - is extremely important! This will help to avoid the chaos of cramming all of your revision in just before your exams, which can lead to more worry and tension in the exam hall. Take your time and plan plenty of days to go through the topics beforehand. You will be more confident and increase your chance of being successful.
A healthy lifestyle
Having at least half an hour everyday of some sort of physical activity, such as dancing or playing football, can be a great help! Even going for a walk to take in some fresh air and relax; switching off from revision for a short period will actually really benefit you when you are actively revising. Take time out of the day for yourself and do the things that you enjoy.
Eat well! Make sure you have three meals a day consisting of food with high protein and a good amount of fruit and vegetables. Also, drink plenty of water; this can help you to avoid being tired and will allow you to keep up the energy you need throughout the day.
Having a good sleeping pattern during exam season is vital. Sleep allows your mind and body to switch off, especially when you have had a hectic day full of exams or revision. With this in mind, don’t stay up too late, as it could have a negative effect the next day. You should aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night with the optimal amount being around 10 hours.
Keep in touch - you’re not alone!
Be sure to stay in touch with your friends and loved ones.
One way to socialise during the exam period is to get together with your friends to help each other if you are all struggling on a particular topic. Sharing ideas and techniques can help you to improve the way that you revise and can result in fantastic outcomes. There may be topics that you’ve mastered that one of your friends needs help to understand and vice versa; you can really support each other, revision doesn’t need to always happen by yourself… as long as you’re productive with others and don’t get distracted!
These are some of the many ways in which you can look after yourself during exam season. Remember, all is not lost if something doesn’t quite go to plan, but learning from your mistakes is the way to go and a key life lesson!
6 Key Tips:
Be organised
Have a well-balanced diet
Stay hydrated
Do some daily physical activity
Socialise
Have a good amount of sleep
Lastly, you know where we are if you need any help with keeping calm, getting organised or looking after yourself :)