15 tip to help you deal with exam pressures

The last half term of the year is fast approaching and it's often a great chance to cram in some revision. However, revision can sometimes get a little too much.

But fear not, we've asked our former students, who have been there and done it, for some of their best tips for coping with revision and exam stresses.

Lucy, a former A-Level student:

I found that setting realistic revision goals helped me to feel more relaxed. I didn’t put loads of pressure on myself by cramming in hours of revision. Instead, I set little goals and felt good when I reached them.

Lydia, a former Health and Social Care student:

Learn how to recognise when you're feeling stressed. If you're having trouble in getting to sleep, you feel tired, or you're getting regular headaches, it might be a sign of stress. Put the books down for a little bit and come back to them later.

Emily, a former Hairdressing student:

I found that looking over past exam papers helped me get used to the format of exams. Then, when it came to the actual exam, all my nerves seemed to disappear.

Jordan, a former Catering student:

Don’t skip breakfast. Make sure you get up and eat the most important meal of the day. Cereal, toast, eggs, fruit. Maybe all four! Set yourself up for the day, because you won’t be able to think straight on just coffee and chocolate.

Richard, a former Personal Training student:

Try to avoid huge sugar spikes. Ideally, you want to ensure that your energy stays consistent so that you don’t peak too early and feel sleepy when your blood sugar levels drop. Instead of sugary snacks, try alternative options like; berries, nuts or a high protein yoghurt to avoid this trap.

Shona, a former A-Level student:

Herbal tea is my biggest tip. There isn’t any caffeine in it and hot drinks are known to soothe the soul.

Emily, a former A-Level student:

Make sure you take regular breaks during revision. A 10-minute break, every hour, during a day of revision can really help to refocus your mind.

Kyle, a former IT student:

Don’t feel guilty about taking a break from revision for a few hours. Watching a film, TV series, or listening to a podcast will help you massively.

Sam, a former Sport student:

If mental fatigue sets in, go for a walk, a jog, or even hit the gym. Exercise is great for the mind.

Loy, a former Business student:

Revise outside. Sitting inside revising while the sun was out used to get me down. So I took the books outside and felt much better.

Nick, a former Cabin Crew student:

Try to avoid talking about revision with your friends. You’ll start to worry that you’re not doing enough and that just causes unnecessary panic!

George, a former A-Level student:

I found that putting the books away by 8pm was a good way to unwind before bed. I’d spend the evening watching a film and then getting a good 8 hours sleep, waking up feeling fresh!

Becky, a former Beauty student:

A bath every night during exam week really helped me to settle down at night; you can even throw in bath salts and bubble bath!

Victoria, a former Business student:

When I felt stressed I did some breathing and mindfulness exercises that I found on YouTube. I watched a few of those and in no time I was nice and chilled.

Emilia, a former A-Level Student:

Try to avoid the exam 'post-mortem'. To be honest, there isn’t a lot you can do after you leave the exam hall, so there is no point in worrying about it.