Reducing Stress During Exam Time

The exam period, as we’ve said many times before, is very stressful time for students. Exams are clustered together and often students, rather than slowly work through them, get so stressed out that they can’t concentrate at all. The well-being of students is very important to us at Cardiff and Vale Tutors, and therefore here are a few ways students can reduce their stress levels.

Have a Revision Schedule

Many students may groan and sigh at this suggestion, however, having a plan can really help better navigate exam time. What can sometimes happen is that students focus on one subject, or a specific exam, and then run out of time for the other subjects and exams. Therefore having a timetable with clearly allocated times for all the different subjects can really help. Some students may struggle with sticking to a very specific plan and may instead benefit from having a loose idea of what subject they need to revise each day, rather than having a strict timetable. Our tutors can help students come up with timetables and help them decide on what particular topics they should prioritise.

Taking Quality Breaks

It’s important for students to keep doing things that they love and that bring them joy. Continuing with hobbies and meeting friends is important because it can help clear the fog that stress can cause in their minds, and in return the revision that students will do may be more effective. Spending time in nature is also important: looking after plants or spending time with animals can reduce stress and improve wellbeing (mind.org.uk). Sometimes a break can be better than trying to push the student while they may already be so stressed out that they cannot concentrate on the work.

Looking after Physical Health

It’s important for students to also look after their physical health. It isn’t always an easy task, however, a good place to start is getting enough sleep. Sleep is important for healthy development, learning and concentration. For teenagers it’s recommended they sleep between 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours (sleep.org). Also making sure to get in some exercise is important too, at least half an hour three times is recommended. For more information on wellbeing click here (hyper-link to our previous wellbeing blog).

To Conclude

We know it can be overwhelming to work on all the pillars of wellbeing at once. Therefore we want to help our students figure out what is important to them, not only in academic terms, but in what kind of support they need and want well-being wise. We can help by creating individual revision timetables, talking about the different strategies for coping with the pressure of exams, and overall just being kind ears that will listen to the students.