Exam Tips

Exam season is right around the corner…here are some useful tips to help you stay calm and ace your exams!

• Get enough sleep in the days leading up to the exam - not only is sleep important for our health but to prepare properly for your exams, you must be able to concentrate and focus which is why getting enough sleep in the days leading up to the exam is crucial.

• Don’t leave revision until the night before - You may be studying a year’s worth of content and there is no way to retain all that information in one night, especially if you are anxious about the exam the next day. Give yourself plenty of time and revise early for the best results in your exams.

• Never go into an exam on an empty stomach. When exam day does finally come around, make sure you wake up early and have a filling breakfast. If your exam is in the afternoon, ensure you are not hungry by having your lunch as well, even if you must have it earlier than you would normally would to be ready for your exam.

• Wear comfortable clothing on the day of the exam - When you go into an exam, comfort is key. Make sure what you are wearing is comfortable. Being comfortable allows you to focus all your attention on answering the exam questions which is an important element to success.

• Don’t try and cram just before the exam - It can be very tempting an hour before the exam to cram in as much revision as possible but what you don’t know just before the exam, you won’t know in the exam hall. Instead of putting that pressure on yourself, try to relax and focus on going in with the right mindset.

• When in the exam hall, focus on you - the exam hall can be a daunting place but the important thing to remember is that nobody and nothing else in that room matters while you are completing an exam. You may want to look around to see how everyone else is doing but this will not help you and is likely to distract you from what should be your only focus – completing your exam.

• Use all the time available to you - If you ‘finish’ your exam early, it might be tempting to put down your pen and leave the exam hall early but don’t do this! Inspiration can strike at any time, even if its ten minutes before the exam ends. You don’t want to leave the hall and instantly regret it, thinking about all the things you could have added in the time you had left.

• After the exam, treat yourself! Whether your version of a treat is sweet, savoury, or digital in nature, rewarding yourself for getting through the exam is important, however you think you did.