South Charnwood High School - Exam Stress
Working towards exams can create feelings of worry and being under pressure. There are a range of things that you can do to help deal with the stress you might be feeling and many websites that can offer help and advice. Most importantly, you are not alone. Keeping feelings of stress to yourself can often make the stress worse so finding someone to talk to is important.
How to minimise exam stress
Take frequent breaks. Psychologists say we can only concentrate properly for 30-45 minutes. When you do take a break make sure you don’t stay at your desk, you could go for a walk or even just make a cup of tea.
Eat well. Keep a good blood sugar level to avoid highs and lows of energy, by eating slow-release foods like bread, rice, pasta, fruit and veg.
Think about when and where you work best. Not everyone is a morning person, and some people don’t find the library a productive place to work. There's no one best place or time to work - it's about what works for you.
Find activities that help you relax. Maybe it's a hot bath, watching a TV show, or a creative activity. Schedule this down-time into your timetable.
A lot of people will tell you this, because it's true - exams aren't everything. Whatever happens in your exams, you can still be successful in life afterwards. So if you don't do as well as you'd hoped, try to keep things in perspective.
If you can, discuss with your parents what they are expecting you to achieve. Parents with steep or unrealistic expectations will just add unnecessary pressure. It's helpful to let them know what you think you have the capacity to achieve, and to insist that the best way to get there is to have support from your parents, not pressure.
If you're feeling really worried or anxious, chat to a good friend, family member, or teacher. It helps to get it out of your system, and they may well be able to help think about practical strategies to deal with exam stress.