How to deal with exam stress

Exam season is currently in full effect and while there is the excitement towards the summer approaching after exams, there are also plenty of other feelings up in the air that students may be experiencing; one of the main ones being stress.

Research reveals that over 75% of students experience some sort of stress during their exams, meaning it’s quite likely that you or your peers are going to go through it. We have put together a few tips on how to deal with exam stress and keep your emotions under control, let’s go through them!

Symptoms of stress

Firstly, we need to go through some of the symptoms associated with stress. Stress is how we react to feeling under pressure, although you may think the feeling is obvious, many people underplay their symptoms and try to ignore them; by doing that as a student, you will only make things ten times harder for yourself.

When you’re stressed, you may also feel:

• Anxious
• Overwhelmed
• Upset
• Restless
• Confused

This can lead to:

• Changes in breathing and eating
• Struggling to manage day-to-day life
• Feeling unwell
• Fatigue
• Lack of concentration
• And many more feelings that depend on the person!

Stress can come in many different forms, here’s some tips on how to manage it during the some of stages in exam season.

During exam season:

• Whether its cooking, drawing, sports or playing an instrument, remember to make time for things you enjoy doing
• Do not bottle things in; it’s important to talk and be open about the way your feeling
• Find a balance between your personal time and studying
• Stay active and try your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle, this includes making sure you get enough rest, food, water, and exercise.

Preparing for exams:

• To boost motivation, try studying with others
• Find the method of studying that works best for you
• Make a schedule or revision plan to keep organised
• Revise in an environment that you can focus in

The day of exams:

• Fuel your body by eating breakfast and getting enough sleep the night before
• Practice breathing exercises, follow the link here for a guide.
• Do not rush yourself during the exam
• Remember, it’s only a few hours of your life!

After exams:

• Treat yourself to something you enjoy, thanking yourself for the hard work you put in
• Avoid asking others how they found it; everyone is different
• If you have any more exams, make sure you relax enough before taking the next steps

These tips are not guaranteed to make you feel a hundred percent better, however they will most likely do a great job at reducing your stress levels.

Reach out

It is important that if you are feeling stressed that you seek support from someone you trust and feel comfortable speaking to as they may be able to help you, this can include reaching out to:

• Teachers
• Parent/Guardians
• Friends
• Counsellor

At the University of Bolton, we have a team of professionals that offer mental health advice, counselling, and cognitive behavioural therapy in our life lounge that is dedicated to supporting students. Find out more here.

Our main goal is ensuring that all Bolton University students live by the #UniAsItShouldBe philosophy, meaning they receive support from start to finish. If you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious please reach out so we can support you. #HereToHelp.