Exam Season Survival

If you are reading this right now, I understand the position you are in; its 2am and you’ve had too much coffee - exams are a stressful time, whether it's GCSEs or A-Levels we are all under so much pressure to perform well.

I finished university last year, so I’d like to think I’ve picked up some things I wish I knew when I was doing my GCSEs/A-Levels!

Talk with your friends who are taking the same exams:

It's important to be in regular contact with your friends, especially the ones taking the same exams as you, not only is it a big support with revision and what topics to study, but you also have a huge community of people who are all going through exactly what you are.

At university, I had a group chat for each module and that really helped especially when everyone chipped in with a website, book or advice. Don’t forget to share your advice too!

Everyone works differently:

All of your friends work differently, have different styles of revision, you just have to find what works best for you, whether it’s mind maps, doing essays over and over again, watching podcasts/tutorials on YouTube, or making flashcards to teach yourself. 

Me? Well I work best by using pen and paper, and writing things out and going through everything one by one. As long as you’re doing what works for your brain, and what gets you engaged, revision and studying will be a lot easier.

Focus on the long term goal:

The biggest thing I wish I had known, was that actually picturing the end goal helps you become more motivated; focus on the vision at the end of exams and what it would be like working at your dream job. By closing your eyes, visualising everything around you and what it feels like, you’ll get it in your head so when you open your eyes, you will be more motivated and actually excited to revise and work hard to get to that end goal, whatever it is.

Look after yourself:

What school and life in general doesn’t teach you is that it’s fine to take some time to yourself, especially during this exam period. Take time to go out with your friends, go for dinner, go to the cinema, have fun! You won’t be productive if you’re stuck indoors all day revising, make time for revision and stick to it but make time for you.

Try not to worry, you’ve got this:

Finally, try not to worry, it may seem like this is the biggest point in your life but I can guarantee you there will always be hurdles in life for you to overcome, but if you put your mind to it you can accomplish anything. In a few months time when you have your results you will know that all the work and revision you are putting in now is worth it.

So to summarise, try not to worry, focus on yourself and smash your exams!

By Aaron