Nothing chills the nerves of a student as much as exam season. From the hush of the exam halls, to the late hours of studying, it’s enough to turn even the best of students into a bag of nerves. If you are someone who thinks exams are the stuff of nightmares, check out some of our top tips to overcome exam anxiety:
Prepare yourself
One of the best ways to overcome test anxiety is to prepare for anything. Make your revision effective by targeting the areas that you struggle in, and learning them inside out. Work out what study techniques work for you, whether you prefer to join a study group or tackle past papers solo. It’s hard to be anxious when you know everything there is to know!
Eat the right foods
If you’ve ever heard of the term ‘brain food’, you’ll know just how crucial a nutritious meal is to success. Whether your exam is in the morning or afternoon, make sure you eat a balanced meal before it starts, and bring energy packed snacks to keep you going (a pre-exam banana is a must). While the foods won’t write your exams for you, they will put you in a perfect position to succeed.
Get enough sleep
While you might be tempted to use every single second you have to revise, staying up late will only make you more anxious! You should be aiming to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night to maximize your exam readiness. So if you are feeling anxious before your exams, it could be because you are banging out all nighters to revise!
Be positive
Being negative never helped anybody. If you go into an exam not believing in yourself, you are preparing yourself for failure. However, going in with a positive outlook will help to relieve anxiety, and increase your exam chances – as long as you do the revision to go alongside it! Think with an ‘I can do this’ attitude, and you’ll be much more assured going into your exam.
Get there with plenty of time
If you want to avoid exam anxiety, it’s probably not the best idea to arrive 5 minutes after it’s started. Try to get there around 15 minutes before your exam starts, and read a book to calm you down. Whatever you do, resist the urge to cram at the last minute, and avoid talking to other anxious students!
Practice breathing strategies
Really at your wits’ end with how to deal with exam anxiety? It might be time to start practicing some deep breathing strategies. Slowing down your heart rate and letting more air into your body, deep breathing can help you calm down, reducing your stress and anxiety.
Need a place to relax and ease your mind in-between exam revision? Every Student’s low-cost student rooms are a great place to prepare for your exams, or to get some well-deserved sleep. With locations in Aberdeen and Southampton, find out more about our rooms here.
