Surviving exam season: My top 10 study hacks

Exam Season at UON

Exam season can be stressful due to the intense pressure, time constraints and high expectations, but there are ways to reduce the stress that comes with it.

Here are my 10 top hacks to help maintain stress levels and continue to enjoy my social life during exam season.

1.     Create a study plan

Through creating a study plan you are able to organise your different topics and allocate your time effectively. The earlier you prepare and plan out your revision timetable, the more time you’ll have to identify any areas of study that you may need to revisit your notes in.

2.     Practice past papers

If accessible you may find it beneficial to look through past papers to help familiarise yourself with question patterns, how to answer, and any repeated topics. As well as this, you could time yourself doing a past paper to see if you are able to finish the exam within the time limit.

3.     Take regular breaks

Ensuring that you are taking regular breaks can help with motivation and help your brain to process the information it’s given, it also helps you avoid burnout. You could use the 25-minute study, 5-minute break method

4.     Get enough sleep

Sleep is very important, especially during exam season. It helps your brain refresh itself, and can also enhance your memory, which is especially useful when learning new things. Ensuring you allow yourself to get enough sleep each night can improve the way you take in and retain information.

5.     Stay consistent

Studying a little each day will be so much more beneficial than cramming loads into one day. So ensure when you start studying you leave enough time to cover everything little by little each day. If there are areas you struggle in more than others, you can always come back to them at a later date to remind yourself of what you’ve learnt.

6.     Reward yourself

Small treats after each study session will help keep you motivated and give you a sense of achievement on each day. Whether it’s a snack, a meal out with friends, or even watching an episode of a series on Netflix, reinforcing positive habits and rewards can encourage you to keep at it.

7.     Know your learning style

You can also take a short online quiz to determine what type of learner you are, as lots of people take information in differently and learning what’s best for you can be a real asset to your study plan. As I’m a visual learner, using aids such as diagrams, mind maps and charts can help simplify complex information for me, and may work for you too.

8.     Ensure you are still socializing

Exam season doesn’t need to mean you lock yourself away and can’t see your friends. Ensuring that you are continuing to socialise and have fun will help decrease stress and enjoy exam season. If you’re someone that can revise in the company of others, maybe arrange a group study date over coffee, or in the library. If you’re someone that prefers to work alone, maybe plan a lunch date to give yourself a break.

9.     Stay hydrated and eat well

Fuel your brain with good healthy foods and stay hydrated throughout the day to help increase your motivation. If you’re short on time, it’s always good to

10.  Keep a positive mindset

Keeping a positive mindset throughout will help with motivation and in return give you better end results. Practicing breathing and relaxation techniques could be something that may help you to relax. If you’re struggling with a particular topic or find you’re getting frustrated as you’re not taking as much in as you’d like – don’t be afraid to pause it for a while and revisit another area of study that you feel more confident in for a much needed boost.

Hope some of these tips have helped, and good luck with your exams!

Lucy Moore

Lucy is a second year Fashion Marketing and Promotion student She's a big fan of Women's Football and goes to games regularly, and also loves the gym.