With mock exams looming the pressure for students is definitely on! However, stress and hard work may be good for your grades but they can certainly take a toll on your mental and physical health. During the exam period it is as just as important as usual, if not more, to take care of yourselves and make sure you maintain a positive attitude and don’t get overwhelmed. Straining your brains won’t do you any favours on the day of your exam.

We have put together some simple tips to make sure the exam process is bearable:

Plan your time

Most exam stress comes from the fact that students do not feel prepared and worry they might fail because they didn’t study enough. Though this fear may never be eradicated there are ways to make sure you arrive prepared for your exam and are confident you will do well. A timetable that plans out your days and organises your study time may help you remain on task and make sure you leave yourself enough time to arrive at your exam confident and ready.

Organise a study group or find a study-buddy

Studying on your own can become boring and tiring after just a few hours, making it more probable for you to give in. Having someone who studies with you has been proven to greatly increase efficiency and productivity, in addition to making studying a little more fun!

Pick a quiet place with no distractions to study

Make sure you are in the right setting for a good study session. Get all the things you need ready beforehand, have some water next to you and turn your phone off.

Take a break 

Make sure you don’t overwork your brain to maintain a healthy spirit and body. For the first two hours your brain is fresh and ready to learn, however as time passes you tire and your efficiency starts to fall. To minimise this effect try working intensely for 15 minutes and then taking a five minute break to regroup, then go right back to work refreshed and ready to learn.

Ask for help

Whenever you don’t know an answer stay motivated and don’t worry, ask for help! Your teachers, your friends, your parents and your siblings are all there to help you achieve your goals. Make sure you learn from your mistakes and never be afraid to admit that you need some assistance, the process of studying is based on finding the answers to questions you don’t know.

Sleep well

Sleep is key everyday but it plays an extraordinarily important role during exam periods (and not just the night before the exam). Our brains need to rest, especially if we are straining them and pushing so much information into them everyday, and the only way they have to recharge is through sleep. Make sure you always start a study session well-rested and fresh; the hours you think you are gaining by cutting out sleep will be lost because your tired brain will take much longer to retain any information.

Avoid multitasking

Multitasking is great! It’s efficient and easy – when you are listening to music while watering your plants, not while you are studying for your math exam. Concentrate on one thing and put all of your effort into it, once you are done, move on to something else. However, avoid mixing subjects and try to keep it as simple as possible for your brain, after all we are human.

Most importantly however, test yourselves, push yourselves and never give in because giving in today may mean not knowing something tomorrow. Keep a positive, happy attitude towards your studying and take care of yourself like you would on any other day.