Say Goodbye to Exam Stress// Advice

Many of my closest friends, plus thousands across the country, will be sitting some form of exam in the next couple of months. Be it GCSE's, BTEC's, dissertations, A Levels...or even SATS! As well as this, many of the participants of these tests, exams and courses will be working their socks off and revising hard, stressed out of their wits because of the pressure. I'm here to tell you, as someone who has had many exams in the past, and will probably have many more in the future...it isn't the end of the world. There are ways of coping. As an aspiring teacher, too, I'm sure I will be giving out methods of relaxation and revision tips for a while. So, on that note, here are my top ten tips for coping with exam stress, whether you are eleven or eighteen years old (or older, if there are any mature students reading this!).

1. Make a revision timetable- This is a baby step towards getting to grips with what you need to work on. I recommend an amazing website called 'Get Revising'. It builds you a completely personal revision timetable by asking you when your exams are (and what board you're on), what your weaker subjects are, whether you have any other commitments etc. Once it is made, you can download it or print it off. It is yours to keep for free!
2. Work hard but always take breaks- You may think the key to success is working solidly for eight hours non-stop. This isn't how the brain functions. Biologically, the average attention span of a human is 45 minutes (or in my case, 5!). So, the rest of this tip is common sense. Revise a subject for 45 minutes, have a 15 minute break and then go back to the subject you were revising or start another, depending on your timetable of course! 
3. Exercise! - A simple but effective tip. When I was studying for my GCSE's, I took 3 hours out of each day to go to the gym and walk the dog. This really relaxed me and put me in a great mindset to concentrate. Exercise releases endorphins, which then react with little receptors in your brain (hey, I'm helping you with your biology already!). The receptors your endorphins are combatting are the ones that give you a perception of pain. So, exercise makes you happy! 
4. Eat healthily- but don't starve yourself! Keeping a regulated and balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and protein will help you focus and make you feel less sluggish then eating junk and comfort food. However, this doesn't mean you can't treat yourself on occasions when you're doing well or have got another exam under your belt!
5. Don't panic!- Panicking will increase your stress even more. If you are worried you don't know something, take some time to go and see your teacher/lecturer about it. The best method is to nab a module summary before you go on study leave. Get three highlighters (red, yellow and green) and 'traffic light' the modules. Highlight in red what you really struggle with, green- that you're confident with and highlight in yellow what you're a little unsure about. Finding little tricks like this will reduce the stress a heck of a lot!
6. Overcome obstacles- Do not EVER let your teachers or lecturers tell you what you are and are not capable of. If they are telling you and your parents you won't get higher than a C, treat it as a little hurdle you have to jump over. In the grand scheme of things, they're probably not even being mean, they just believe you can do better and are giving you tough love to make sure you do! Show them what you've got!
7. Replace 'if' with 'when'- Instead of letting your self esteem get the better of you, for you to say to yourself 'if i do get this grade...', replace it with 'when'. I hear many people say 'if I do get this grade maybe I will get into uni'. Believe in yourself! Motivate yourself! Say 'when I get this qualification' instead and think of all the wonderful possibilities!
8. Make revision cards- Many people just copy out of text books or read. For me, it wouldn't work. My top method for revising is doing practice papers and making revision cards with little notes/questions on one side and answers on the other. Again, traffic lights! Highlight all the practice questions on a scale of what you struggle with and what you're confident with, so you can focus on the weaknesses!
9. Support your friends- They're going through the same stress. Get together with them, maybe even revise with them. Your friends are there the whole way through and are on the same boat!
10. Believe in yourself- You can become your own worst enemy. Always have confidence in yourself and never push yourself too hard. It's not healthy and will not guarantee you stress. Work hard, play hard. Motivate yourself and this will make you believe in yourself more. 

I hope I haven't rambled on too much and that these tips will help you through this stressful time. There's just one more thing before I end this post. On Facebook the other evening, I found this letter from a primary school teacher that was sent out to the year 6 children and their parents. Many of the things it talks about, I don't believe they apply to one age group, but everyone who may be taking assessments and exams...

I'm sorry if it's not readable, zoom in or click on the image! It may help! 

Good luck if you have any exams, no matter what they are or what level they are. You can do it!

Much love! xx