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Exam week stress in colleges today always leads to the question, “Who came up with exams and why?”
Well, before we go into the actual reason I wrote this article, you can find out the answer here; hopefully it gives you a bit of closure.
Whenever exams come around, students are faced with immense pressure. It may be intense cram sessions to cover the entire semester’s syllabus, or simply the weight of expectations your parents have placed on you.
Whatever your reason may be, we can all agree that exam week stress is a serious modern day problem. To put this into perspective, students have gone as far as committing suicide so as to escape the challenges of reading for an exam. You may not be so far gone, but hopefully the tips I provide will help you have a smoother ride as you tackle your upcoming exams.
It Is Okay To Take a Break
For many people, their idea of successful revision involves spending every waking minute slaving over their lecture notes.
In some cases this may work, but, excessive revision has been shown to cause burnout. You may have covered the entire syllabus, but what good will that do if your mind is functioning at 20 percent come exam time?
My advice is to set up a functional schedule allowing yourself time in between study sessions to relax. Although you may have mountains of content to cover, a few short breaks allow your mind to rejuvenate, thereby increasing its ability to take in new information.
However, a few breaks do not give you leeway to sleep through your exam week; do that and I can guarantee you will fail, unless you were born with Sheldon Cooper’s mind.
Start Preparing Early
Most likely, if you are reading this, it is too late for early preparation. Also, if you did not notice that Drake reference, you might as well stop reading now.
The easiest way to evade exam week stress is by consistently revising throughout the semester. This ensures by the time exams roll around, you are prepared for whatever your sadistic lecturer wants to throw your way.
Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.
With all the activities that come with being a college student, carving out time for daily revision could prove slightly challenging. Therefore, to form a compromise, you could at least set aside two days a week where you review whatever was taught in class. You may not understand it all but the little knowledge you do acquire will greatly simplify your revision during the exam week.
Form Discussion Groups
Reading is a challenge for all of us.
Even that bespectacled professor who always seems to know every inch of every course book struggled to read once upon a time.
However, if you make reading a social affair whereby you meet up with friends and discuss the course content, it becomes so much simpler. As long you all understand that this is not a forum to discuss the latest NBA news or gossip about potential hook-ups on campus, you may just get some work done.
An added advantage of discussion groups is the fact that everyone understands things differently. Consequently, while going through the revision material, there will always be somebody who understands those difficult concepts and he/she can simplify it for all of you.
Make Post-Exam Plans Early
For most people, the end of exams always signals the green light to start partying like there is no tomorrow.
The sheer thought of how much fun you could have once you have finished your exams should help you get through any exam week stress. This is why you, either alone or with your friends, should plan your after exam festivities way before the tests are over.
Knowing your week will end positively always gives you something to fall back on whenever the depression starts kicking in.
However, don’t get too excited about your festivities to the point that you forget to read up for your exams; it’s really hard to enjoy a party when you know you have failed all your tests.
All in all, exam week stress can be a major psychological battle. Overcoming this issue and battling through your exams has proven too challenging for some, but if you follow the tips suggested above, I can guarantee that you will be chugging shots at the end of week with no memory of the past exams haunting your conscience.
Originally published on rowdystudent.com.
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More on Mental Health on Campus:
What Campus Mental Health Centers Are Doing to Keep Up With Student Need
If You’re a Student Who’s Struggling With Mental Health, These 7 Tips Will Help
The Hidden Stress of RAs in the Student Mental Health Crisis