Ahead of midterm exams, many universities will have informed their students in regards to their plans for a current exam procedure; many are now in person. For some, this may be a relief but if you’re anything like me and the anxiety that comes with the exam environment has the ability to negatively impact your performance, these are a few things you can keep in mind to help you manage this.
Reach out for support
Don’t be tempted to isolate yourself within the stress, whether that be for reasons due to embarrassment or feeling as though you can cope with it by yourself. I think it is important that you seek whatever support may be available to you. This may be from family, friends, or your personal tutor. I would argue that some level of academic support is your best friend here as I find that upon discussing your feelings with someone like your personal tutor or seminar leader, they can provide you with experienced advice and feedback that I have found to be essential to the groundings of my confidence to face my exams, therefore, relieving my anxieties.
Study strategy
It can be daunting to see how much work you need to put into a task beforehand but creating a plan when you have a free morning or evening before you set to work allows you to spread your work evenly so you don’t become overwhelmed.
Set yourself 3 achievable goals a day as over the exam period your to-do list can begin to be very hefty yet thinking you need to tick off as much as possible in one day is super unrealistic. Doing this also puts you into a continuous cycle of guilt, where even if you have achieved multiple tasks in a day you feel bad about yourself for having not accomplished everything.
Having a study plan means you can manage your time, avoid feeling less overwhelmed by the tasks at hand and celebrate your achievements along the way in maintaining your motivation.
Celebrating your achievements, whether that be indulging in an evening of Netflix after a long day in the library or going out with friends after being sat on your computer all day not just maintains your motivation but allows you to continue to have a social life and have that time to destress and hold your thoughts to other things; giving your mind a rest.
It is also important to recognise when you’re at your limits. Forcing yourself to slave away at your laptop when you are not in the position to comprehend what is it you need to think and write about can set you up for emotional burnout with the possibility to even set you back.
healthy habits
If you feel yourself losing your ability to focus, there could be many reasons for this.
If the people around you aren’t being the quietest, listen to some music to soundtrack your work, possibly something without lyrics that won’t absorb your thoughts; white noise, etc also works.
Perhaps you are just physically and mentally exhausted and in that case, set a timer for 25-30 minutes and take a nap if you can or rest away from your desk. If you’re going for a nap, any longer than a half hour and you’ll hit REM meaning you’ll feel just as if not more tired when you wake up. Once you wake up, I suggest a quick caffeine break or a short walk around.
To avoid the need for naps, try improving your sleep hygiene. What is meant by this is keeping to a stable sleep schedule, maintaining a clean and comfortable bedroom for a clear mind, and following a relaxing pre-bed routine such as planning your following day as previously mentioned. Getting a good night’s sleep regularly is crucial for your mental and physical health and is capable of improving your overall day-to-day quality of life.
A longer walk or exercise session within your day will improve your ability to focus and work more efficiently. Aerobic exercises specifically increase blood flow to the brain, which stimulates cognitive function and concentration.
It can be difficult to keep in mind your wellness with the added pressure of exams which is why it may be helpful to stick to the most basic routine of self-maintenance you can. Ensure that you keep you refuel your body to fuel your brain and stay hydrated to avoid that screen headache and stress acne.
The idea of things is always a lot scarier than reality, it is important to recognise your feelings of anxiety but don’t let them rule you as they don’t have to. You’re in control of how you see the world, you are quite literally reassembling your future through your thoughts. It may be stressful now, but only through strategising your hard work and sacrifices will you reap the rewards later.