
Coping with exam stress
Table of contents
Table of contents
The new year has begun.
And with it the stress of exams.
As soon as the festive season is over, the pressure of exams is breathing down your neck.
Don’t panic!
With our tips, you’ll learn how to cope with exam stress and still (or precisely because of it) successfully master your exams.
Let’s go!
Start preparations early
We are all familiar with the problem of procrastination. The exam dates have been known for months, but we still put off preparing for them.
It would be too short-sighted to attribute this to pure laziness. There are often complex psychological phenomena behind this, such as fear of failure, excessive demands and perfectionism.
Studying for an exam then seems overwhelming, difficult and complex – so you’d rather not do it at all and put off this seemingly mammoth task.
Use a trick to shrink the mammoth quickly: instead of torturing yourself with a self-imposed, hour-long study plan, we recommend that you start small.
For example, you could start by reading through your notes for half an hour every day. The point of this phase is not to memorize the subject matter, but to make contact with the topic of the exam in the first place.
This lowers the inhibition threshold for the actual learning process that follows: by engaging with the material early on in a relaxed and informal way, you will intuitively find an approach to the topic. This makes it much easier for you to draw up a structured learning plan as the next step.
We present the best learning methods for effective and even fun learning.
Healthy living
Especially in times of exam stress, it is particularly important that you live a healthy lifestyle so that your body and mind remain efficient.
These are the most important areas for a healthy lifestyle:
Nutrition: A healthy diet provides you with all the important macro and micronutrients you need. Try out our healthy recipes and delicious brainfood to give you the best possible nutrition. Here you can find out what you should look out for when buying food.
Exercise: When it’s wet, cold and dark outside, you certainly don’t feel like exercising. But you should definitely do so, as exercise gets your circulation going and the fresh air has an invigorating effect. You don’t need a power walk for this; a relaxed stroll in the park, for example, is enough to have a positive effect. Get fit in our in-house gym – be sure to try it out!
Sleep: Studying late into the night is not a good idea. Your body won’t get the rest it needs and you’ll wake up the next day exhausted and drained of energy. Instead, establish fixed sleep routines by going to bed at the same time every night (ideally before midnight). Allow yourself at least 7, preferably 8 hours of sleep per night.
Allowing yourself free time
Have you also noticed that you forbid yourself activities that have nothing to do with studying for exams?
True to the motto: First comes work, then comes pleasure!
However, this quickly turns into the carrot and stick principle, which significantly increases exam stress. You are not a machine that can hammer learning material into your head for days on end.
As a sentient being, you urgently need free time, even and especially in particularly stressful phases.
So allow yourself …
- … to meet up with a friend for a coffee,
- … to go to parties,
- … read a good book or
- … simply do nothing for a change.
If you incorporate such islands of relaxation into your everyday life, you will soon find that you can approach your studies with renewed energy.
Working on the mindset
Exam stress arises in the mind. You are the person who develops worries and fears when you think about the upcoming exams?
Then questions like:
- Will I pass the exams?
- What will I do if I fail?
- What if I black out in the exam?
- Is it worth studying at all?
These questions are typical of a poor mindset when dealing with exam stress. This is not an accusation, but an important insight that can help you.
Realizing that you are walking around with a bad mindset is the first step towards a more positive attitude towards exam stress.
The second step is to make the decision to develop a strong mindset.
Now step number three can come:
Ask yourself other, more constructive questions:
- What would I say to a friend in an exam stress phase?
- What difficult phases of life/exams have I already mastered?
- How can I cope with the learning material in a relaxed manner?
Our brain is a true master at searching for answers to questions. Therefore, constructive questions are a powerful tool to focus your attention on solving problems.
Write down the questions above as well as the answers your mind provides you with. You will feel better and find ways to deal with exam stress in a positive way.
A good way to build a new mindset is, of course, to get inspiration. The easiest way to do this is via podcasts, which you can listen to while cooking, going for a walk or whenever.
Our podcast recommendations on the topic of mindset:
Learning stress management
Stress management means finding a healthy way of dealing with difficult phases such as exam stress.
This will help you to reduce stress:
Problem:
Stress arises particularly when there is an actual or subjectively perceived time pressure that drives you.
Solution: Meditation, for example, is a game changer when it comes to slowing down and getting into a state of relaxation without much effort.
For a simple breathing meditation, find a quiet place, close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing for 15 minutes. Set an alarm clock beforehand so that you can fully immerse yourself in the meditation.
Yoga and autogenic training are also effective against exam stress. Most universities offer corresponding courses where you can learn relaxation techniques.
Problem: You have the feeling that stress is overwhelming you and you can’t do anything about it.
Solution: Develop resistance, also known as resilience. You develop resilience through a positive mindset and a healthy lifestyle. That’s why these two areas are so important for dealing with exam stress.
Instead of letting upcoming exams stress you out, you could look at them in a sporty way, as a challenge to put your acquired knowledge to the test. The more positive your mindset is, the easier it will be for you to switch to this approach.
Problem: Learning goals that are set too high are a guarantee for stress.
Solution: Set yourself realistic goals: The best way to do this is with the SMART method.
More articles in our blog
Do you feel equipped to deal with exam stress? Then read our other top articles that will help you during your studies:
- How to take care of your mental health
- Manage your time correctly
- Discover methods for effective learning
Even though exam stress is currently kicking in and it’s not an easy time, we wish you maximum success in your exams!
There will be other, more relaxed phases in your studies. Until then, we hope that our tips will help you and that you will get through this stressful time in good health.
Ahoy and see you soon,
Your Staytoo team