Exam Stress

It's that time of year again; when everything is life seems to no longer exist, apart from studying that is. Each semester I ask myself, why oh why do I do this to myself...This semester is pretty similar, except for 1 small detail, These are my last exams ever!!! Did you hear me (I'm shouting now) EVER!! Queue the music Maestro...*Rocky theme tune plays

 

After 5 long years, it’s finally coming to an end. Fingers crossed this year I will graduate from Dublin Business School, with an Honours degree in Psychology. 5 years ago, I made the decision to go back to college. I have to admit I was reluctant at the time as it had been several years since I had been in a classroom. Initially I signed up to the Diploma in Psychology so that I could test the water so to speak. Once I got a little taste for college life I was hooked, line and sinker! Hard to believe that was 5 years ago now. The moral of the story, throw caution to the wind lads and don’t be afraid to make the jump. I did and boy am I glad of it now. During my years in college, the arse fell out of the Irish economy, and the fact that I was up-skilling at the time; eased some of my anxieties around employment etc. Lucky for me, I am in full time employment, earned off the back of my degree.

Although I know the end is in sight, it doesn’t help me to  deal with exam stress I am experiencing right now. Things that do help though are:

Have a revision timetable – start planning well before exams begin. Set realistic goals.

Make your books, notes and essays user-friendly. Use headings, highlighting and revision. I have to do this as I can’t learn black and white print. All the pages start to blur into one and I end up answering questions 1 with notes I had for question 2.

Prioritise! Scale back on what needs to be revised

Get plenty of Sleep – Pff…There’s no time for sleep. Just kidding, you can’t function on a sleepy brain. Trust me; I’ve tried (lots of times)

Eat Healthy – I usually forget that eating is important, primarily, because my stomach shuts down when I go into ‘fight or flight’ mode pre exams. Once the exam is over and the adrenalin levels off, I get very light headed and weak. Note to self –Bring food to exam.

I hope some of these tips help if you are doing exams at the moment. I’m a lost cause, after 5 years, I’ll be up all night, chewing my nails 10 minutes before and fainting afterwards!

Kel x