There is nothing more daunting then being tested on something. You think you’ve revised everything you have to and you could recite it all backwards, until the day of your exam finally arrives. Your mind goes blank. The anxiety hits, the brain fog, the sleepless nights and the major stress. In short, you are struggling to cope with pre-exam stress.
If this sounds all too familiar, don’t panic, just try these tips.
1. Give yourself a break
You’ve jampacked all of this revision into your brain and you feel like your going a little crazy with it all. That’s why you need to give yourself a break. Throughout your revision schedule make sure you’re giving yourself time to relax. Zone out on some reality TV or watch a Netflix movie for the evening. Meet some friends and socialise. Revision is important, but you need to make sure you’re giving yourself a healthy work-life balance otherwise you won’t be able to work to the best of your abilities.
2. Meditate
The night before your exam, and maybe even on the morning of it, try to do some meditation. If you’re not into meditating, then don’t let this put you off it. Besides the spiritual side of meditation, it simply allows you to clear your mind and relax. And that’s the main thing you want on the day of and before your exam. By relaxing your mind and clearing your thoughts, you’ll be able to focus and concentrate better.
All you have to do is sit or lie still and comfortable in silence. Play some calming music or light a candle if this helps you to relax. Give just ten minutes a go and see how you feel!
3. Cook a nice meal
The night before your exam cook yourself a nice, filling meal. If you’re a worrier of getting a grumbling stomach during the silent exam hall then let this be your sign to eat! Treat yourself to something tasty and make sure you fill up to avoid that pesky grumbling stomach distracting you from the exam questions.
But remember if this does happen, don’t worry! You won’t be the only one and everyone will be too focused to notice anyway.
See also: Five Tips For Doing Multi-Day Exams
4. Go on a walk
Get some fresh air. It’s simple, but it’s one of the easiest ways to cope with pre-exam stress. Whether it be the day before or morning of your exam, make sure you get out of the house. Get your body moving and soak up the fresh air before you sit your exam. You’ll find yourself naturally relaxing and you’ll feel ready to go and get it all over with!
5. Deep breaths
It may sound simple but in moments of fear and stress we often forget to just ‘breathe’. Take a moment to take it all in. Take three deep breaths before you open the exam paper and get yourself in the correct mindset.
You know you can do it! You just have to believe in yourself.
So if you have some exams coming up and you can feel that pre-exam stress coming along, try these tips. Remember that you can only do your best, and that is always enough.
Good Luck!
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