Friday 23-04-2021 - 15:20

 

As you may have guessed from the title, this month is Stress Awareness Month! Ironically, it’s also assessment week, that most glorious of events in the student's calendar! While we joke, it is still a very important month for us students and it’s very easy to lose track of deadlines and let the stress overwhelm us. That’s why I’m here to give you my top 5 tips for keeping your stress levels on the low side this exam season! 

Tip 1 – Take a break! 

Now I know this may seem obvious but it’s also super important! When you’re in the zone (or not, no judgement here) it’s hard to pull away from the work you need to do. I’m a creative writing student so I know this all too well. Staring too long at your screen can give you headaches, eye strain and make you more tired in the long run. By taking regular breaks of just 15 minutes per hour to get up, have a brew, chat to one of your flat mates or even just head outside for some fresh air can do you a world of good and help brush off the cobwebs. 

Tip 2 – Bake something! 

This is one I learned from Instagram, but it totally works! So, the works not coming, but the stress is. You’re feeling like you should be doing something productive. Why not find a recipe online and bake? It helps get those productive energies flowing as well as giving you something to snack on. It’s a win-win! 

Checkout the BBC’s recipe page for some tasty goodness here: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/baking-recipes 

Tip 3 – Plan your day! 

At exam time it’s very easy to lose track and get sucked into the bad zone and one great way to keep out of it is to make an exam timetable! Planning when you’re going to revising/writing your assignments can help bring you back down to Earth and give you a daily goal to work towards. “If I just do this work, I can chill for the rest of the day,” or something to that effect!  

Tip 4 – Exercise! 

Another simple but easily forgettable one for the working student but working long hours indoors can quickly turn into days. This will lead to feeling more tired, foggy and burnt out. Setting aside even half an hour a day to go for a walk either by yourself or with friends will get you coming back refreshed and ready to take on all of universities challenges!  

Tip 5 - Keep it in perspective! 

At the end of the day, your assignment isn’t the end of the world. This may sound shocking or like I don’t understand the struggle but hear me out. It’s very, very easy to get caught up in the work and be really panicked about not doing your best and that you won’t get a good grade and you won’t pass uni and you won’t get a job and so on and so on... But you can only do your best. Grades don’t matter if you believe you tried your hardest and did a good job. Believe in yourself and remember there’s a whole lot more to life than a 2500-word essay! 

There we have it! Those are my 5 tips to help manage exam stress and I hope they help a ton. Just remember that you’re not alone and if you’re suffering to please to speak to someone. I’ve left some links below for places with more info and guidance: 

Top tips to beat exam stress: https://www.savethestudent.org/extra-guides/top-tips-to-beat-the-exam-stress.html 

LJMU Student Advice & Wellbeing: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/discover/student-support 

JMSU Advice: https://www.jmsu.co.uk/advice-service 

That’s everything I’ve got today but I’ll be back shortly with a brand-new topic! 

Stay tuned!