Best your test stress! – Grace Cater, Beal Sixth Form

As we enter the summer term, millions of students across England will be sitting end-of-year exams, whether they’re just to see your progress, or if it’s a GCSE/A Level. No matter the type of exam, most people find it hard to manage their stress and end up either burning out or not doing as well as they could. Here are a few ways I’ve found that help to reduce stress, especially during exam season.

Take care of your physical health. I know it may seem like a second thought when studying and focussing on academics, but you can get ill if you aren’t careful. Make sure to eat three meals a day and drink plenty of water. I know this may feel like something everyone says and never does, but by making sure your body stays fueled, you’re helping your brain work at its full capacity. Also maybe try to exercise sporadically throughout the day; this is something I did during my GCSEs and it helped me stay focused. All you need to do is take 10/15 minutes and do some exercises in your room such as star jumps, push-ups, etc. Not only does this get you up and active after sitting down for a long time, but it also takes your mind off of whatever it is you’re studying which allows you to feel more refreshed when you sit back down.

As well as making sure you stay healthy when revising, it’s important to not overwork yourself since that will lead to burnout. A useful tip I learned to use during study leave is the 8 rule. This is when you treat revision like a job, in the sense that you spend 8 hours revising, 8 hours sleeping, and 8 hours doing whatever you want. Although many change this slightly to adapt to their own life, it is very useful and helps revision seem less daunting. It is also important to make sure you take breaks in between study sessions to allow your brain to process the information you just went over. A vital thing to remember with breaks is that they only help you destress if you’re doing something that genuinely relaxes you; for example, going for a walk for 10 minutes or listening to music. If you spend your breaks doing things like preparing for your next study session, your brain doesn’t have a chance to slow down and won’t be at its best performance for later on.

And finally, just take the advice of this age-old saying; que sera sera (whatever will be, will be). It is important to give yourself credit for the hard work and effort you’ve put in so far and remember that even if you don’t get the grades you were hoping for, there’s always another option for you.