If you're finding exam season more stressful than a trip to the dentist, the final boss on your favourite computer game or even a sudden-death penalty shoot out in the cup final, then… try and relax – we've got some tips that will help you learn how to cope with exam stress.
Our exam veterans have given some inspirational advice on how to reduce stress and anxiety during exams. Watch the video and then read our recap and you'll soon be feeling much more calm about your exams.
Daachi: Okay. I've got some expert exam tips on how to relieve stress in the run up to exams.
Amy: Yes, please. It can be very stressful when everyone's counting down the days. Like, oh my gosh, it's getting so much closer.
Daachi: Step away from the stress. Here's the first tip. Revise little and often. The best way to deal with the nerves and stress is action.
Amy: Don't stress about how much you need to do. Doing small amounts is usually better than trying to cram lots of information in at once. Also, make sure to put in some rewards and other activities into your schedule to break it up.
Amiga: Try not to panic. I had a history exam and I didn't revise as much as I should. And so I got to school and I was rushing to everyone asking them what are we supposed to be revising on? What's the topic? I was very, very flustered, confused. So my thing is to relax. Take your time. Talk to one person, I would say it's better to have one person than everyone just in your ear saying different things. And also revise as much as you can.
Dylan: I think that's some pretty solid advice. It's about finding what's right for you. It's important that you use your time wisely, and if you have to spend ten minutes waiting for the bus, look at some revision websites and some revision videos because you never know, you might have something that you've never come across that will be in your exam.
Daachi: Okay. Next tip.
Amy: Work on areas you're most worried about to try and ease your mind.
Dylan: I would often ask my teachers questions on topics I'm struggling with the most. I asked them for resources and tips on that specific thing so I could focus more on that. I revised in short chunks, 30 to 40 minutes with a ten minute break. That worked for me.
Amiga: Okay. What else?
Dylan: Exercise can be the best form of break, and it is a great way to de-stress.
**Amiga:**Yes. Exercise.
Dylan: I do surfing and water-sports. I also go to the gym. It's doing something fun with people I like, which definitely helps me to reset.
Amy: Whilst I was revising, I had my headphones in. I listened to 80s and 90s playlists, really high energy, dancing around and singing along.
Dylan: It's good to not let the stress sit in your mind and body too much.
Instead, you should get moving and remove some of the stress physically.
Amiga: Next tip.
Dylan: Revision can be lonely, so make sure you keep in touch with your friends.
Amy: For exams, I spent a lot of time with friends. We'd talk through questions, say how we were feeling, how we felt the exam went and even revised together. And I think it's a really important network to have, to either have them help you with exams or even just to talk about how you're feeling about things.
Daachi: Of course, because when you're with your friends, you’re de-stressing them and they're de-stressing you as well.
Amy: It's just good to do things together. And you help each other and it's nice to have that connection.
Daachi: Exactly. Yeah.
Amy: Okay, last one.
Daachi: If you're struggling with stress, don't be afraid to speak to a parent, your teacher or your GP.
Amy: Exams can be stressful, but reaching out to others can help take away some of that stress., When I was stressed before the very start of the exams, I spoke to my English teacher and he helped quite a lot with that. He said that as long as you put in the hard work and you focus, it's not about the number or the grade. It's about that you felt that you did the best you could.
Dylan: I definitely stressed a lot when I was taking my exams, but I found a problem shared is a problem halved. So when I was stressed out, I would go and speak to someone and I found that really helped.
Amiga: Yeah. I feel like communication is key. Definitely. If you have someone to talk to, could be your age or a parent or a teacher, or if you have a mentor in your school or outside of school. It's good to talk to somebody because it does get stressful and on the other hand as well like we have personal issues that's going on as well. So it can affect when it comes to education and stuff like that. So yeah.
Dylan: Just don't bottle it up.
Amy: So plan your revision to include breaks, exercise. Keep in touch with your friends. And if you're struggling with stress, talk to someone.
Daachi: I feel less stressed already. Dance break?
Amy: Let's do it.
How to deal with exam stress
Here are our top 5 tips for reducing stress during exam season. We hope they'll make you feel more calm than a sloth wearing sunglasses and sipping a smoothie whilst meditating on a beach, listening to whale sounds. Trust us, this sloth is caaaaaalm.
- Revise little and often It can be overwhelming trying to tackle all your revision at once, so plan ahead and break your revision up into small, more manageable chunks. We suggest creating a revision timetable and making sure you plan time for fun things like seeing friends and chilling out.
- Work on the subjects you are worried about Ask your teachers questions about the topics you struggle with the most. This will help you fill the gaps in your knowledge and allow you to focus on the things you find most difficult. It can be hard to focus when you find a topic hard, so why not break your revision up into twenty or thirty minute sessions with a ten minute break in between? We've got a guide on how to do this here.
- Exercise is a great way to de-stress Doing something fun that helps you stay healthy is a great way to boost your endorphins. This will help reduce your stress levels too. If you want to know more about how exercise can help you revise, we've got a guide for that.
- Check in with your mates Revising can be very lonely, so chatting with friends either face-to-face, over the phone or on a video call, will help boost your mood. You can chat about revision, or just have a good old natter about how you're feeling. Catching up with friends can be a big stress-reliever!
- Talk to someone you trust If you're struggling with stress, it's important to talk to someone you trust, like a parent, carer, teacher or GP. Reaching out to someone when you feel worried can help take a weight off your shoulders and can help steer you in the right direction to receive help. Sometimes you need to remember that it's not always about the grade you get in your exams. It's about trying your hardest and doing the best you can.
If you want some more useful exam tips and guidance, then we've got loads of amazing advice to help guide you through exam season on the pages below, what are you waiting for? Give them a tap!
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on BBC Action Line.
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