Exams, the dreaded word sends a chill through many adults spines. Many teens are made to sit exams regularly throughout their years at secondary / high school and even more if they progress to further learning. It can be a very emotional and stressful time for them. There are various ways to approach stress management when it comes to exam time. We all cope with stress differently and some can manage this better than others. In this post, we look at how to cope with exam stress. Once you learn how to manage this it can help with both your revision and how well you cope with subsequent exams.
How to Cope with Exam Stress
Preparation
Although stating the obvious, good preparation can help everyone when it comes to cutting exam stress. It goes without saying, starting revision as early as possible can help ensure you get the highest possible grades. That is of course, provided you have studied all topics needed for each subject sufficiently. If you know you have covered all or the majority of topics you’ll be tested on it can leave you feeling much more confident when exam time finally arrives.
Creating a Schedule
It helps to know when exams are to be held in order to create a balanced schedule encompassing both exam revision alongside dedicated self care time. This way you can help to retain focus, keep calm, and ensure all topics are covered in advance of their specific exam dates. The schedule needs to be broken into manageable sections. This can also be used to make sure you study challenging topics in advance, fully understand them and give you an opportunity to revisit them again if required.
Routine Helps
Create a routine within and around your study. Have set times each day to get up, study, have self care time, eat, sleep etc. Once you know your routine, it can be easier to keep it going and maintain and improve focus and productivity. It can also help ease exam stress.
Prioritising What to Study
It is important to prioritise topics around the subject exam dates. You will also need to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses and allow enough time around each to ensure you study each topic required effectively.
Create a Dedicated Study Area
Creating an area suitable for study can help you to maintain focus, and study effectively and productively. This will need to be comfy, have all the stationery you might require such as blank or completed flash cards, pens, highlighters etc. Avoid having anything present that may cause distractions where possible.
Tools That Can Help:
Flash Cards
These are great for personalised learning as the user will write down topics they need to learn and can tailor them to their requirements.. They can help promote active recall and can be used at home and on the go too. These are ideal to be used repetitively as this helps reinforce learning and improve information retention.
Apps
These days there are lots of great apps for various topics including Cognito, Quizlet etc. These are often free unless you want to use them for their most advanced options.
Past Exam Papers
These need to be practised under exam conditions so timed and no access to devices to check on questions you cannot answer. Questions that cannot be answered will need to be revisited later. Make sure you go back a number of years as on many occasions questions have been repeated over the years.
Teaching/Explaining Topics to Others
The ability to explain a topic, process, etc to others allows you to assess how well you know a topic, it helps with information recall and to reinforce your knowledge.
YouTube and TikTok Videos
You will find lots of videos online that can support study in various topics. Look for those that are recommended and that are for your specific exam board and subject. Don’t forget for example, double and triple sciences may cover different topics or topics in different depth.
These videos help you focus knowledge, identify areas of weakness, boost knowledge and practice exam technique.
Breaks Are Important
Some fall into the mistake of thinking that skipping breaks and focusing on solid study will benefit them most. Taking breaks helps clear and relax the mind helping promote improved focus and information retention, increasing productivity and reducing stress and preventing burnout.
Breaks can be any length from a quick 10 minutes to half an hour depending on how much study you have done. Vary what you do. Rest your eyes and mind by having a nap, go for a walk, watch some tv. Cook a meal etc. You must remember that when it comes to revision you should favour quality over quantity. So, focused revision using various techniques as mentioned above can work well.
Self Care
This is so important when exam time approaches. Self Care encompasses a range of different areas on which we need to consider as combined they will help calm the mind, improve information retention, allow us to stay focused when studying etc. This can involve a range of things such as a little pampering time, time allocated to read a book or watch tv. You might even arrange a meal out with friends.
Sleep
It is important to get as much sleep as possible as this helps you retain information better, and allows you to focus well when revising. Whilst you sleep, especially when in deep sleep you brain will transfer the information you have learnt from your short term to your long term memory. This makes it easier to recall when needed later. If you study a good deal your brain will need to rest just like when you train a muscle. Sleep allows the brain to do so and to recharge ready for the next day. It allows the brain to rest and results in reduced stress. Where possible aim for 7-9 ours of sleep each night.
Good Nutrition
The foods you eat can affect your energy levels as well as your ability to study. It’s been proven that students that eat breakfast perform better when it comes to exams than those that don’t. Breakfasts that include foods such as oats, wholegrain bread etc can help provide slow release energy. When protein is added to these it means you’ll feel fuller for longer.
Hydration
Make sure you stay suitably hydrated. Stick to water and stimulating herbal teas. Avoid drinks with high sugar levels and caffeine. Caffeine can have a negative impact on those with anxiety and also impact sleep negatively. Water should become your drink of choice during this time. In fact, students that take water into exams and of course drink it have been shown to perform 5% better than those that don’t. You should be starting your day with a few glasses of water at least to get the body functioning well and to stimulate the brain to function efficiently.
Exercise
Exercise is always important. This boosts the oxygen supply to the brain which in turn helps improve focus, concentration, and improve memory. It also stimulates the release of endorphins known as happy hormones which help to reduce stress levels and improve sleep as well as mood.
Consider Utilising Relaxation Techniques
There are all sorts of great relaxation techniques that can be used to your advantage.
Deep Breathing
Something as simple as deep breathing can help to slow down the heart beat and reduce stress. You can do this at anytime whether it’s during study or even in an exam to help relax your mind and allow you to focus on the task at hand.
Meditation
Meditation is also great to use in times of stress. As with deep breathing it can be extremely helpful in managing stress and calming the nerves. Here you induce a state of relaxation that reduces cortisol, relaxes the mind and body and helps to improve focus and attention.
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Cutting Exam Stress Between Exams
It’s tempting to talk to friends after each exam is completed but not always the best idea. Discussing and comparing answers doesn’t always help. If you hear you friends have put different or more answers or realise you have answered incorrectly this can further increase stress and anxiety prior to the next exam.
Summary
There are various ways to reduce exam stress from preparation, organisation, meditation as discussed within the post. If you can cut exam stress between exams it can help keep the mind more focused and allow you to be productive when studying and to retain information better.
I hope that you have found my post, how to cope with exam stress both interesting and helpful.
How do you manage exam stress or stress in general? Which of the tips provided here do you feel you would find most beneficial?
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Man, you have to control that stress. Exams are no joke, and the amount of stress they put on you is off the charts. When I was a freshman in high school, I got so stressed over my first-ever exams that my back muscles seized. I couldn’t move!
Oh no, that sounds awful. Stress can have so many negative effects on the body.
My son is going through this. He hates finals. I always say to study and trust in your knowledge. This is some fabulous advice.
Thanks Amber. I hope all goes well with his exams. I agree, plenty of study and confidence in himself will get him though.
I returned to university in my forties and my best tip for exam stress was to start studying for the exam as early as possible. That way, you feel confident when exam day comes and you don’t have to pull those last minute, late night cram sessions!
Starting early is very important. Making sure you use the right tools such as exam papers and flash cards can help you get the highest grades x
I love the idea of explaining what you’re studying to others. It reinforces your confidence in your own knowledge, and teaching someone else makes you think of it from another angle.
It really does make a difference. To be able to explain in easy to understand terminology is a great test of knowledge.
A few years ago, I found educational YouTube videos and revision classes helpful. With so much information out there, sticking to two or three methods may be more effective. There’s also the theory of whether you’re a kinesthetic, auditory, or visual learner.
Starting as early as possible is important. It’s great that there are so many resources that can help these days to allow for all abilities and learner types.
I always try to maintain a calm atmosphere when my son has his exams. Allowing him to take breathers, play in between and relax from time to time keeps him eased out and not stressed.
That can really make a big difference!!
Great advice here. I have two children currently doing end of year exams. It can be so stressful when it really doesn’t need to be. I try and help them revise a little but also taking regular time out.
Time out is more important than people realise. Overdoing it can cause burn out and be detrimental to learning and remembering the material. I hope it all goes well for them x
These are such great tips! Exam season can be super stressful, and preparing not just your studies but also your mindset is critical for success.
That is so true. All need to take a holistic approach not just focus on study.
What excellent ideas for coping with the stress of exam season! I remember how crippling it was so deal with it all back when I was in university; I wish I knew all of this back then!
There are so many things that you can do to help with stress. It’s a shame that you weren’t aware at the time.
My oldest is in middle school this year, so it’s his first time with real exams coming up the next two weeks as we finish out the school year. This is a great article and I am going to work with him on a few things here to try to ease his stress and anxiety about the finals.
That’s great to hear. The advice here can be very effective. I hope he feels less stressed soon. Hope all goes well with the exams xxx
My sister always struggles with this problem. I will share this with her and ask her to try it!
I hope that she finds the advice here helpful.
Tell me about exam stress, I really hate it!!! I hope all do well with their exams this year. Meditation definitely helps a lot.
It certainly can have an impact on stress levels.
WOW, I remember those days when stress wore me out before an exam. These are great tips and having the right mind set and tools on hand can help to make things a little stress free before taking your exam.
That is so true. It helps to know what can help alleviate stress from exams.
Your post offers such practical and balanced advice for managing exam stress. I especially appreciate the emphasis on creating a routine and taking care of oneself—simple steps that make a big difference.
They certainly do make a big difference so should always be added into study schedules.
I wish I had read something like this when I was younger and sitting my own exams. It’s such helpful advice—practical but also comforting!
Thanks so much Catalina. It does help that there are more resources these days.
Nice tips and tools! I think preparing ahead to avoid cramming would be the best to avoid stress.
Preparing ahead is important as is combining study with self care.
great tips here! examinations can be made way less stressful using these.. sleep is so very important and i am guessing that can get pushed to the background during this
It sure can. Students should never underestimate the importance of sleep when studying for exams.
Your reminder to prioritize sleep and nutrition is spot on! I always studied much better after a good breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
They can have a significant impact on those taking exams.
Tests were always such a stressful time! I will pass this on to my teen, I am sure he could sue the advise.
I hope he finds this helpful x
This is such a practical guide for kids taking exams, and adults too actually. You could turn this into a book – so helpful!
It sure is useful for both, We can do exams at various stages of our lives but the approach to them is the same.
Honestly it’s really not easy to manage the exam stress & anxiety. Thanks for sharing these useful tips, really helpful & practical. Cheers Sienny
Thanks Sienny. I hope it helps as many as possible x
These tips on coping with the exam stress sound very practical. Super helpful for students indeed!
Thanks Hari. I’m glad to hear you agree.
I am so glad I don’t have to study and take exams anymore. I can still remember all that stress, even if I knew that I’ve learned and that I definitely know all the information I had to know.
Ha, me too. It was a super stressful time. I didn’t help myself deciding to study medicine lol.
Exam stress for sure is a thing….and I remember studying for mine weeks in advance because I also did sports and my weekends were spent traveling to compete and had ti get that study time in also. It can be done…. just have to dedicate the time. These tips you provided are super helpful and I love them!
I am so glad you think so. I hope that these help as many as possible.
It feels like such a long time ago that I was preparing for exams. I do think it’s good to have more options of apps and past exam papers etc, the papers were a lot harder to find when I was looking! x
These days you have easy access to most papers which is great. They are also free!
Yes, yes, and yes. I hope every student reads this. It’s the perfect list. For me it was always the exercise as the blood rushed to my whole body and was invigorating.
It’s amazing how many forget it isn’t just about the studying. By following this advice they will do so much better and with far less stress.
I really liked how you broke down practical ways to handle exam stress — especially the reminder to take breaks and not overdo it. It’s so easy to forget that rest is part of the process too. Thanks for the gentle nudge to be kinder to ourselves during crunch time!
Taking breaks makes such a big difference. I’m so glad that you liked the post.
This is such an informative and useful post highlighting each and every point. With so many youngsters soon going yo be sitting exams having a schedule and timetable really makes revision and learning more manageable
It certainly does make a difference x
These are amazing tips you shared. I remember when I was in college how stressed I used to get during my exam time. I wish I knew these points before. Thanks for sharing with us.
It can be a very stressful time and so knowing how to cut stress is invaluable.
My daughter is doing her exams and wow , I had forgotten how stressful it was! . These are great and some we have implemented 🙂
I hope it all goes well for her x
My kids are going through this. I think organisation is the key. I tell them just do your best that is all anyone can ask.
That is very true, if they have studied and try their best that is what counts.