As exams gets underway, it’s important to take care of your wellbeing during the lead up. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed or stressed during this time, know you’re not alone.
Try some of the below tips to see if you can take control of your worries, and if not, there is always free support available to you at the Health and Wellbeing Resource Centre. Reach out to have a chat with our Student Wellbeing Advisors for short and long-term support.
- Put your worries into perspective
While worries are sometimes valid, they can feel difficult to cope, especially in stressful times like the lead up to exams and final assignments.
It might be helpful though, to ‘get out of your own head’ and look at it from another perspective. Keep your eye on the bigger picture and know that one fail or low grade isn’t going to derail your plan. There are always options to re-take or re-do courses, or other pathways to get to where you want.
2. Manage your caffeine intake
A little bit of caffeine can be helpful for an extra boost, but too much can actually damage our memory retention and ability to sleep. So control your intake of coffee or Red Bull just so you can continue to cram all day and night!
3. Get enough sleep
In addition to reducing caffeine, make sure you’re getting enough shut-eye. Sleep replenishes your energy and helps you retain the information you’ve learned during the day. It also plays an important part in regulating our emotions and makes us better able to concentrate during the day.
Reach Out – Tips on how to get a good night’s sleep
4. Get active!
Exercising may seem difficult to do when you’re stressed, but work-outs are proven to help with stress and anxiety. So even if you don’t feel like it, take a gentle walk, do some stretching, play with your dog or whatever you can just to get your heart rate up and blood flowing. Aren’t you feeling calmer already?!
5. Take enough breaks
Make sure you take short, quality breaks every hour of study. This will help you remain on task. Studying for hours on end can cause you to lose concentration. Taking regular breaks can help us recharge and be more productive. It’s not the time you study, it is the quality of your hours.
6. Schedule time for things you enjoy
All work and no play makes everyone dull. Make sure you continue doing the things you enjoy outside of study. Chat with your friends, work-out or watch that latest Netflix show (within reason!). Try and give your brain a break so you can stay active, energised and happy. This will help you feel refreshed when you come back to study.
7. Remember, not all stress is bad
In some cases, when we need to get something done, a little bit of stress can be the push we need to get moving. It can make you more alert and motivate you to study when you need to or get your mind ready for an exam. The trick is to know when it is too much stress.
If you’re losing control of a situation, or you’re doing things to help the stress and it isn’t going away, then you might need some support. Reach out to the Health and Wellbeing Resource Centre to discuss options for short and long-term support! That’s what we’re there for!?
All the best for your upcoming exams!