10 Ways To Beat Exam Stress

I know that exams are upon us, and if you're anything like me, you'll be freaking out. It's normal to be stressing out about exams. A little bit of stress helps us motivate ourselves, helps us get ourselves in gear, get us moving. But too much stress can make us burn out. So, here are 10 Top Tips to keeping the stress levels down, and helping you be prepared for your pending exams. Good Luck!

1) Devise A Cunning Plan.
I write a detailed revision chart a few weeks before exams to help allocate time to revise, time to do homework, time to do chores, time to go out etc. That way I know how many hours I'm spending on my subjects. Always allocate a little bit of extra time to the subjects that you're having trouble with. It doesn't have to be much - just a little extra to help cement it into your brain. It's better to overestimate how much time you'll need to revise than it is to underestimate. You don't want to get over-booked, because that leads to stress. Be realistic and flexible. Look over the syllabus, go over old exam questions, and get your parents and friends involved. (See 'Extra Tips and Tricks')

2) Find A Quiet Space.
It's impossible to get work done when there are distractions and a noisy environment. Close your door, shut yourself in your room, and find your way of working (See '6) Find Your Own Way Of Working'). Try going to the library to get away from distractions, or find a quiet space at home.

3) Aids To Memory.
The more relevant facts you can mention in your exams the better. Make lists of the key facts you need to know in each subject/topic and memorise them. Make memory study cards, or a key facts revision poster, and get friends and family to help test you on them.

4) Don't Stress Over Chores.
Household chores are a pain. But don't panic that you'll never find time to do them. Try talking to your parents and working out a way of condensing and simplifying your chores down. Don't throw a tantrum, but ask politely and state your case. A simple 'I need to focus on my exams, is it OK to leave my room cleaning until the weekend? I promise I'll give it a really good go-over.' is much more effective than 'I can't do my room I'm revising for my future! Ergh, you're so STUPID!!!' Right?

5) Praise Don't Pressure.
Don't pressure yourself into a state. Praise is much better to hear than put-downs. Don't say to yourself 'God, why don't I know that? I'm so thick, I'm gonna fail!' Instead, try asking 'Why don't I know that? Lets go over my notes, and try spending some more time revising it.' Failure is disappointing, but it's not the end of the world. Sure, if you get a D but you really wanted a B, it's annoying, but don't get hung up on it. You can't change the past. Just learn from it.

6) Find Your Own Way Of Working.
Not every revision way is going to work for you. Your mates may like to work in the morning, and yet you just can't drag yourself out of bed. That's fine. Your other friend might be able to revise all day, but you get bored and end up playing computer games. That's fine too. Because those aren't your way of working. Try revising at different times in the day and find the time that's right for you. It may be morning, afternoon, or evening. And then try revising for a long while and then try shorter chunks. I find I can't work more than an hour on one subject before getting bored. So I tend to work for an hour, go off, have a drink, come back in 20 minutes and start again. My tip? Swap subjects after your 'cut off point' and swap mediums. So, if you've revised English for 20 minutes by reading a book, after your break revise Maths by doing quizzes on the Internet. That way your mind is constantly being challenged, and you might even be able to work for longer.

7) Start Your Exam With A Plan.
At the start of every exam I spend about 5-10 minutes jotting down everything I can remember on the topic I'm being asked questions about. That way my knowledge is down on the paper, and my brain can access more information because you're not stressing out as much. Plus you have a note plan for every answer, so you can spend a little more time on structuring a great answer than on panicking that you 'suck'. Plus, if you run out of time, the exam may see your plan and award you some marks. If I'm running out of time I always try and bullet point my answers down, because then I can prove I know what I'm talking about. Timing is everything, so spend about 5-10 minutes reading the exam paper, choosing your answers and planing. You may find you need a little more time, and that's fine. Try practising your timing at home on old exam papers.

8) Chill-out Time.
Always take time out to chill. Watch TV, hang out with mates, do some exercise. Regular breaks and regular chill-outs are the key. If you don't see your friends, or chill, you are heading for severe brain meltdown. And then there's no point revising anyway, because it's all leaking straight back out your ears. Plus, the science behind this? Regular activity helps combat stress hormones. So you get to see your mates and feel less stressed? Sounds like a winner. Just make sure you're home at a reasonable time so you get enough sleep. So no partying until 3am!