It’s very easy to get stuck inside your head coming up to exams. So it’s even more important that you look after yourself at this time of year and keep a calm approach. Here are a few tips to get you over the final hurdle of the academic calendar.
- Give yourself enough time to study. This sounds obviously but it’s very easy to put off study for as long as possible, especially when lecturers can give tips very close to the exam day. Make sure that you’ve cleared the days before the exam, to fit in enough study.
- It’s important to take breaks when studying especially if you have a lot of modules to study for. Your brain can’t absorb all of the information at once and you don’t want to burn yourself out. Try to stay away from your phone, it’s far too easy to keep scrolling. Try walking around the gaff, chat to your housemates, make as many cups of tea as you need, get some fresh air, go for a run. Just change the routine slightly to reset your brain. I had a roommate in first year who did a lot of all-nighters to meet her deadlines and would do midnight runs to Eddie Rockets for a milkshake, if something like that helps, go for it.
- Eat well. The advice is always to snack on fresh fruit and nuts, but in practice, you probably reach for convenience food. Try and find a middle ground by making meals or snacks you really enjoy, I’m all about peanut butter and banana on toast when I’m studying. You’ll end up crashing if you survive off only sugar and processed foods, so try to keep them to a minimum. That said, it’s okay to treat yourself a bit, again it’s all about looking after you.
- Create a study space that isn’t cluttered and get yourself some nice stationary and paper. My class notes are illegible, so I always buy a cheap copy to make clearer notes. I also never have a functioning pen in class, which leads me to buy an onslaught of pens and highlighters for exam season, that inevitably go missing the second I finish an exam. If listening to music helps, put some on low in the background.
Just remember to take care of yourself, take a break when you need to. Drink copious amounts of tea and carry on.
