How to Reduce Anxiety Around Exam Time

Whether you're facing GCSEs, A-levels, or any other stressful exams, these tips can help reduce anxiety:

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1. Talk to a trusted friend or family member. You can talk about what you are struggling with, and maybe they could help you out, such as testing you on your flashcards. This means you will not be isolated in your room doing revision. This can relieve the exam stress and anxiety!
2. Take a break! You could go to the movies, go for a walk, eat your favourite snacks or go on a shopping spree.
3. Try meditation. You could listen to calm music to help your nerves the night before the exam day.
4. Have a routine on the day of the exam. For example, try to continue your usual normal morning and evening routines and the times you go to the library on study leave or the time you go to college. This will help relieve stress and anxiety before your exams, as you will be more focused following your routine.
5. Try breathing exercises.  For example, before waiting to go into the exam hall, try to relax through breathing exercises instead of worrying about what content you may have missed. Use this time to not go over revision and cramming. Use this time to clam your nerves and anxiety to prevent forgetting information due to stress.
6. Make sure to eat the morning of the exam. This will help you, and is important to ensure you have gained nutrients in order to not feel unwell during the exam.
7. Reward yourself after the exam such as getting a new sweet treat, getting your favourite snack or even booking a nice holiday to relax.
8. Set realistic goals -  you could separate each topic into your revision timetable and ensure breaks are included. This will reduce your anxiety in the lead up to your exam, and you will be able to relax instead of cramming content and topic the day before an exam.
9. Do not compare yourself to others – focus on your own revision goals and progress. This will help you to focus on the amount of revision you need to get done before the exam date. This will also reduce your anxiety and stress as you will be focusing on yourself instead of other peoples’ revision techniques or progress.
10. Arrive early before and exam, as this will allow you to feel less anxious because you will not be worried about being late or feeling to rush the exam paper.

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1. Try to revise early before the exam period. This will reduce your anxiety and help with balancing social life and studying. This will leave you feeling more motivated and productivity.
2. Keep the study area clean and tidy. This will ensure that you are organised and feel more prepared for the exams, and this will reduce your anxiety. This will lead to a less negative feeling about studying and revision in the lead up to your exams. You will be able to feel less confused about exam dates and contents as you will be more organised.

Gina R