Can you feel your stomach doing flips and you find it hard to relax without that nagging feeling that you should be revising? That is THE FEAR. Exam fear might have hit you already, or it is slowly getting there but it’s that feeling that we all hate – the panic, the worry and, if these are your finals, knowing you REALLY need to do well in these exams. Have no “fear” though (get it?) because everyone is in the same position as you – believe me. Exams are the one thing that you really can’t avoid at university and as hard as we try to put off the dreaded revision, it’s best to face them up front and get ready for them. Being naïve and oblivious will not only harm your university grades, it will also affect your health with the high stress levels and long nights of last minute cramming! This guide will hopefully help you to organise your revision well, stay relaxed and feel in control of this exam period.
1. Be organised: The minute you find out your exam dates you should put them in your diary and create a revision plan. Then you will be able to see how many days you have until the exam (something we never like to do) and you can plan the best way to allocate your time to your different exams. Making a revision plan is the first step to combating exam stress because you know exactly what is coming up and can prepare fully.
2. Revision breaks: Once you have started the dreaded revision, it is important that you schedule revision breaks into your day. It’s good to take a break to let what you have revised sink in and then come back to revision with a fresh mind. There are many different ways to take breaks from studying, whether that is taking 10 minutes to have a quiet cuppa or going out for a run. You will know what is best for you so make sure you take that deserved time out!
3. Revision techniques: To be able to revise effectively you need to understand the way in which you learn. There are many ways to do this. Some people make mind maps whereas others are happy to make linear notes. You might even want to be a bit 21st century and listen to podcasts to help you learn. Effective studying is the best kind of studying after all! You could even listen to podcasts or lectures while you get in your daily dose of torture (otherwise known as walking to the library).
4. Social media: One excellent revision technique is to disable all social media. This will improve your productivity no doubt. It will also stop you freaking out about other people writing posts about your course and you have no idea what they are talking about.
5. Eating healthy and exercise: Exam time = a lot of time sitting at a desk. It is important that you have a healthy diet and exercise regularly. This can be difficult when food is the only thing you have to look forward to but make it fun by using your study breaks to cook up something new and healthy.
6. Treat yourself: Perhaps a bit ironic coming under the tip about eating healthy but it can be beneficial to plan a meal out with a friend. This not only means you have something to work towards that day but also means you don’t have the hassle with cooking. It will be good to put some makeup on and feel human for a couple of hours!
7. Keeping things in perspective: Okay, you are approaching a break down moment (we’ve all been there) and feel as if you are never going to get everything learnt for the exam. To stop you getting to this moment it is good to stand back from everything and realise that it is not going to be the end of the world if you get a poor mark or even fail (obviously this wouldn’t happen). The exam you are prepping for is only two/ three hours of your life…is it really worth getting all worked up for? Hopefully, you won’t even have a breakdown because you will have been very organised with your revision and will feel completely in control!
8. Support: You are not the only one taking that exam remember. Talking to your friends about the exam or having group study sessions will help you sort out any issues and they can help you de-stress.
9. Relax: After a hard days work in the library you should give yourself a few hours to wind down. Going straight to bed will probably mean you won’t sleep and will lead to more stress! If you have regrettably started a Netflix series around this time then it is okay to watch an episode at night! Just don’t watch the whole series…
10. Sleeping on your revision notes: If this works then let Her Campus know!
11. Remember – YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!