Wellbeing Report

Wellbeing Tips and Strategies for Exams

At this time of year we often see a rise in the stress levels of many of our students. The lead up to examinations can be a difficult time for many, as there are also often assessment tasks to be completed at the same time. However, there are many proactive strategies which students can take to help alleviate this stress and ensure that they are in the mindset to achieve their best.

There are many fantastic resources on the internet which can assist students with study habits and techniques. Just as important though are the tips for encouraging optimal mental health through these stressful weeks.

Take regular breaks

While you may think it’s best to study for as many hours as possible, this can actually be counterproductive. If you were training for a marathon, you wouldn’t try and run 24 hours a day! Likewise studies have shown that for long-term retention of knowledge, taking regular breaks really helps.

Try not to feel guilty about being out enjoying a break in the sunshine instead of hunched over your textbooks. Remember, Vitamin D is important for a healthy brain!

Action and activity are a great part of the exam routine

Exercise promotes blood flow to the brain and endorphins are important chemicals that assist in learning, energy and creative thinking. The temptation to log a considerable amount of hours planted at a desk hitting the books may be grounded in good intentions but will likely not be the best approach. Study sessions should be broken up and short walks outside and regular sporting commitments should be maintained.

How you fuel your body can have a huge impact on your state of mind.

Snack on brain food; Keep away from junk food! You may feel like you deserve a treat, or that you don’t have time to cook, but what you eat can really have an impact on energy levels and focus. Keep your body and brain well-fuelled by choosing nutritious foods that have been proven to aid concentration and memory, such as fish, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fresh vegetables, lean proteins, yogurt and blueberries. The same applies on exam day - eat a good meal before the test, based on foods that will provide a slow release of energy throughout. Sugar may seem appealing, but it won’t help when your energy levels crash an hour or so later. Drink plenty of water - remember that being well hydrated is essential for your brain to work at its best. Make sure you keep drinking plenty of water throughout your revision, and also on the exam day.

Sleep Is Your Friend

If you get a good night’s sleep before your exam, you are scientifically proven to retain more of what you studied the day before than if you stay up late.

Silence social media

Turning off social media for the examination period is a great technique to maintain focus and reduce distraction. This will be difficult for some students and if this is the case rather than a complete block or ban, allow social media use for a limit period (e.g. an hour or two on weekends or 15 minutes a day) as a reward when set study tasks have been completed. Be wary though that “just for a minute” syndrome exists, where a 15 minute reward can end up being blown out as online catch-up occurs. Parents can greatly assist in monitoring in this regard.

Teach someone what you know

Research clearly tells us that some study techniques are more powerful than others. We remember:

10% from reading

25% from hearing

35% from seeing

50% from both seeing and hearing

75% from discussing

85% from experiencing something yourself

95% from teaching someone else

Parents and little brothers and sisters don’t have to be annoying around exam time! Use them to your advantage. Explain an answer to a question to them. That will help you to get it clear in your head, and also to highlight any areas where you need more work.