Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone and it can get fired up during exam season. This can cloud rational thinking and make revision seem more difficult than it should be. While easier said than done, reducing stress can boost productivity, help you to retain more information and smash your exams. We have teamed up with an independent college in London to share a few ways to tackle exam stress.
Practice Makes Perfect
Past papers are handy revision tools that can help you when preparing for an exam. They allow you to familiarise yourself with the types of questions that appear, practice, and beat the clock in an exam when time is of the essence. By making use of these resources, you can maximise your chance of achieving top marks, especially as exam boards like to recycle questions. This can help to reduce stress as it can give you a better idea of what you’re up against and make sure that you’re well prepared.
A Good Sleep Routine
A lack of sleep not only makes us cranky but makes us more prone to experiencing anxiety, depression, and paranoia. Getting a total of 8 hours sleep can make sure that you are fully rested, less stressed and ready for the day.
Speak to Your Teachers
Your teachers are there to help you. If there’s a particular subject that you’re struggling on, why not take it to your teacher? They should be able to answer your questions, make information dissectible and easy to understand. Chances are if you’re struggling with something, you’re not alone and asking can help your peers too.
Create a Practical Exam Timetable
A revision timetable can help you to better allocate your time in the lead up to an exam, allowing you to cover all bases and manage stress. When doing so, it’s important to remain practical to not overload yourself. Ask yourself, can you really spend 4 straight hours on physics revision? More than likely it’s a no. Breaking revision up into chunks can help you to stay on track, avoid it building up and cramming at the last minute.
