In the last post, we gave you a few tips for getting through exams. In this post, we’ll give you a few more. Some of them will probably seem obvious, but putting them into practice can be harder said than done.
One crucial thing that you can do during this period (especially when you get to the final days of studying and into actually taking your exams) is to continue to get enough rest. It’s not an unusual occurrence that around this time of year students will start to stay up later and later trying to cram as much knowledge into their heads as possible. This may be aided by the fact that many university libraries are open 24 hours during this period. We’re certainly not saying that you shouldn’t study at night. You should do what’s best for you. But do make sure that you’re getting the equivalent of a full night of sleep even if it’s during the day. Quick power naps followed by more studying are going to do a lot less for you overall than if you spend less time studying but get a good night (or day) of sleep. If you do opt for late night study sessions though, one thing to keep in mind is that you won’t be writing your exams during the night. It might be a good idea not to let your body clock get too out of line with the exam schedule.
Another area where a lot of students often do more harm than good is in diet, especially during this time. Late nights and tons of cram sessions don’t leave much time for cooking balanced meals (and let’s face it – cooking isn’t necessarily a strong point for many students at the best of times). It would be completely unrealistic for us to tell you not to indulge in some quick meals or snacks, and especially to completely change your diet to something completely balanced. But remember that you do need to keep your brain and body working. Living on crisps, redbull and pizza for several weeks is probably not going to leave you in great shape for the exam. Try and fit in proper meals with some fruit and veg and maybe even some fish, which will not only give you energy but is also commonly known as brain food. How can you go wrong with that? Staying hydrated by drinking lots of water will also help you in getting through exams in one piece.
On a slightly different note, another problem that many students encounter is getting hung up on what to expect in your exam. Your lecturers should have given you some information on the format of the exams you’ll be taking, and you should hopefully have some idea on the material that will be covered. But you may still be a bit unsure about what to expect when you actually go in to take your exam. If this is the case, it may be worth checking out whether there are past exams that you can access. Often your department secretary or even subject librarian will have some information about how to get hold of these. The exam that you take will obviously be different to any that are available, but doing one or two can be a great way to test your readiness. Comparing a few of them will also likely give you a clearer idea of what to expect in terms of the format of what you’re going to face. Past exams won’t be available in all programmes, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to ask.
If you follow these tips for getting through exams, study smart and take care of your body, you’ll be much more likely to come out of the exam period feeling sane enough to get started with the next semester!