Exam time is one of the most stressful parts of the student experience. The feeling you have not studied enough, the urge to compare yourself to your peers and the worries about what your results will mean for your future can all be damaging to your mental health. You need to ensure you protect your own well being first.
Organisation
Revising is a crucial part of exam preparation, and is often when stress begins to impact. Take control of the process with a clear schedule, so you know every deadline and exam date, and plan accordingly. Be realistic in your goals, breaking challenging tasks into smaller, more short-term sections. Ensure you review your progress regularly, so you can adapt as needed. Scheduling is not just about your workload. You need to set aside time to relax if you are not going to overload from stress. Whether it is crafting, exercise or another hobby, step away from the books and screen, and breathe some fresh air.
Relaxation techniques
There are a variety of techniques that have been developed to allow people to better manage stress. Practices such as meditation and mindfulness are often used to calm the mind and improve focus, reducing anxiety and related symptoms. Simply having a positive attitude can make a big difference. Release physical tension with gentle exercises such as shoulder rolling.
Support network
One of the worst things you can do is try to manage stress alone. Talking to someone is a powerful way to alleviate some of the burden. This may be friends or family, your tutor, or most universities will have some kind of student counselling service. If you share student accommodation Leicester, such as some of the properties at westmanorstudentliving.co.uk/, chances are your housemates will be going through similar experiences. They may help you put things in perspective, provide helpful advice and share coping strategies to minimise the harm of isolation.
You cannot completely remove the stress from exams, but by actively taking steps to look after your mental health, you can reduce their impact on your wellbeing.