5 Easy Ways to Beat Exam Stress

Make a plan to tackle your notes and keep healthy so you can crush your exams.

As we get further into December, we start looking forward to the holiday season. Getting time off, seeing our family and friends, going out — but for a majority of students, looming behind us, ready to attack, is exam season.

Here are five exam tips to help keep you from going into panic mode.

Have a Plan

Before throwing yourself into a pit of books and notes, go over what material you have to study in broad strokes. Are there certain chapters that you didn't understand during the year that you need to go over? Some classes that you missed notes from? Any outstanding questions that never got answered? In any case, start planning by writing down everything you have to study. In an agenda, plan when and how you're going to get it done. Be realistic, and give yourself more time than you think you'll need.

Change Up Your Study Location

Do you find yourself becoming distracted in your usual study location? Try changing up your space and study somewhere new that could improve your productivity and focus. A couple of classic examples are a quiet coffee shop or the school library. Research shows that when you change your study location, you're able to recall more information — you'll more easily remember what you studied and where. A change of scene can also keep you motivated and refreshed. If you're surrounded by others who are studying, too, you may find yourself more productive, too. Good work habits can be contagious.

(Re)Write Your Notes

Look back on the notes you wrote during the semester. Even if they're already fairly neat and organized, you should consider rewriting them, correcting any errors, filling in any holes, and adding any more information necessary, including observations or connections you make with the material you're studying. Not only will rewriting force you to re-read your notes, but rewriting helps encode material in your memory. You may find that colour coding helps, too. Categorizing material by colour is a great way to help stoke your memory by forging connections between content and colour.

Take Care of Yourself

I know I'm guilty of this: during exam season, many of us tend to totally disregard our mental and physical health and throw ourselves completely into studying. This isn't healthy! When studying, you should be reaching for energy-rich foods that fuel your brain, getting an appropriate amount of sleep and taking consistent breaks. We think of ourselves powering through a difficult time, but bad habits lead to negative effects on your mood, appetite and energy. Ditch your coffee for water, which will reduce fatigue, increase your energy, and help you concentrate, and leave behind the ramen noodles: feed your body the nutrients it needs, with snacks like fruits, greens and almonds.

Don't Give Up

I know it can seem like exam season goes on forever, but work hard and don't lose sight of your goals. Before you know it, you'll make it through. Challenge yourself! In the end, you'll be happier if you were driven to succeed during a stressful month of exams, rather than if you gave up and got a mark you weren't happy with. After your exams are done, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your holiday.