There are lots of helpful tips available on how to prepare for exams and look after your wellbeing in the lead-up to exam time, but what can you do to keep yourself calm and focused during the actual exam? We’ve put together some helpful tips…
Pace yourself
Try not to rush. If you do find yourself rushing through the questions, try to focus and slow down. Read through the questions properly. Keep an eye on the time to help you pace the questions.
Breathe
Our breathing can speed up and become shallow when we’re nervous which can make you feel light-headed. Take a second to stop and take some deep breaths in and out – this will naturally calm you.
Be aware of yourself
It’s easy to get carried away in our minds during an exam and forget our bodies! Check-in with yourself now and then to see if you’re tense anywhere and need to adjust your posture or have a quick stretch. If you’re feeling over-whelmed, try breathing deeply.
Move on if you need to
If your mind goes blank and you start to feel panicky about a particular question, take a deep breath and move on to the next one. You can go back to it later.
Don’t focus on what others are doing
The person next to you seems to be writing huge amounts, someone further down the line has finished…don’t panic! Stop and think, “right now, I’m going to concentrate on the exam and not on others”. We all work at a different pace. Don’t overthink or allow yourself to spiral into negativity. Negative thoughts have a habit of taking over in stressful situations like exams – one difficult question can make us feel like we’ve failed the whole paper. Try not to lose perspective – think positively!
Good luck!
