January exams are a brutal awakening from the sanctuary of Christmas festivities and return us back to the harsh reality of being a student. It’s an extremely stressful month, and if someone says that exams don’t totally stress them out- well, they are either a) lying, b) not a student at Nottingham, or c) far too cool to suffer from what we would commonly call ‘emotions’.
I have no solutions to curing exam stress, I’m afraid. A bit of stress is good as it will drive your motivation to pass, but here are a few gems to help you through exam season so that you’re a fully functional human by the end of the month.
Candles – I don’t know what it is about them, but scented candles have an instantly calming aura. Light a few candles and tackle what seems like the monumental day ahead. Although keep them at arms lengths from your work- your treasured mind maps catching fire certainly won’t count as extenuating circumstances.
Regular breaks – Nothing but revision sounds unbearable so manage your day with regular breaks doing something enjoyable! Get as far away from that desk as possible- not far enough that you can’t make it back after half an hour though!
Sleep – A couple of red bulls and a caffeine high doesn’t make you superhuman- you still need sleep! Sleeping actually helps to consolidate learning, so if Lenton is asleep, you should be too! An early start after a good sleep is the way forward.
Be active in your revision – Time flies, so be productive with your time. Make mind maps, cue cards and plan questions so that you can reuse your resources and have something on paper to use again.
Plan something to look forward to – Work hard so that you can truly celebrate your freedom at the end. Whether that’s end of exams Ocean, a new outfit, or even a whole weekend in bed, the reward will feel so much better if you deserve it, and it helps to have the end in sight so this exam season doesn’t seem as insufferable and endless.
Nothing can help you if you’re not prepared, but if you’ve done your fair share of slaving away, the stress will subside in the exam and you’ll surprise yourself with what you know. You’ve done it before to get to this uni, so you can do it again. And remember- you’re PAYING to sit these exams- so give it your best!
Edited by Amelia Bauer
Image sources:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/student-psychological-services/other-resources/Exam…
http://forgedrains.deviantart.com/art/Keep-Calm-and-Keep-Going-329190719
http://studentblogs.warwick.ac.uk/physics/entry/the_revision_exam/