Exams coming up soon? Keep cool, calm, and collected the entire time with our guide to relaxing before an exam.
There’s loads of advice out there about how to revise effectively (check out our own advice too!), but what about calming those exam worries and nerves? Relaxing your mind before an exam or revision sessions will help you to plan your study schedule, remember your notes, and generally feel better about the whole thing all at the same time.
So, with help from two of our students, we’ve pulled together our top advice about how to relax before an exam and on the day itself.
So let's take three slow deep breaths, and plunge right in…
The best thing to do before your exam is PLAN
Plan out your study area, organise your subjects, and work out how much time you have to learn each topic.
Be sure to check out our top tips on how to revise effectively to get the most from each study session. Don't forget to download our free revision timetable to plan out your subject revision, too.
Take time to relax
From hot chocolates to Netflix binges, gift yourself some time to unwind at the end of the day before you nod off to sleep.
Try not to go straight from revision to sleeping – you might find it much more difficult to go to sleep without letting your mind settle first.
Get some fresh air
Take regular breaks, and if you can head outside - do it! A growing body of research suggests that natural light and green spaces enhance mental health and learning capacity by lowering stress levels and restoring attention - creating a state of 'calm alertness' (a state ideal for learning).
Go for a walk, make a trip to the corner shop, or even just take some deep breaths in your back garden.
Talk to teachers if you’re stuck
There’s no need to struggle on alone. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses, and we all learn in different ways.
Go to a teacher if you’re struggling with a particular topic and they’ll help to find a way of working through a problem that’s right for you.
The night before the exam…
Prepare your clothes and bag the night before, so you’re worry-free in the morning.
It's also a good idea to make sure you know when and where your exam is. No-on likes waking up in the middle of the night and worrying whether they’re already late to their early morning exam!
On the day of the exam…
Go through your notes. Don’t try to learn anything new, but scan over all the work you’ve already done to refresh your memory. Your first priority is to keep calm, so try some breathing and relaxation exercises if you need to.
Try to arrive early. The last thing you need is to worry about being late!
And afterwards...
Learn from your exam experience. If time management was a problem, make sure in the next exam you’re keeping watch of the clock.
Learn from your mistakes but don’t let them get you down. After all, you’ll know for next time.
You see, there’s no secret to how to revise for exams, and it doesn’t have to be stressful. It might seem overwhelming now, but there'll be a point soon when your revision is done, your exams are over, and you can kick back and enjoy the fact that you prepared for your exams as best you can. For now - plan ahead, look after yourself, take regular breaks, ask for help when you need it, and you’ll ace it.
Good luck!
