How to manage stress in the lead-up to exams

Topics mentioned: exam stress, anxiety, self-care

About: The exam period can be a stressful time for any student, whether at school or uni. Jess shares their tips for managing stress and nerves around exams.

With GCSEs, A-levels and other exams fast approaching, many young people are feeling the familiar wave of stress. The lead-up to exams has always been a very difficult period for most students.

It's so important to look after ourselves in the lead-up to exams, so I wanted to write this blog in the hopes that it would help some young people cope with stress.

While revising for my exams this year, I have realised that I am someone who becomes less stressed when I have a structured daily routine that I can follow, and I am sure that there are many other people that feel the same way.

However, I have found that by making a to do list that includes a lot of stressful activities, such as revision, I am less likely to complete my work, which then leads to increased stress and anxiety levels.

Over the past two weeks I have altered the way that my to do lists look, and it has really helped. I started by reducing the number of revision sessions I was doing each day, as I find it most helpful and least stressful when I only have two or three blocks of revision to do in one day.

I have also found that putting in time for activities that I enjoy alongside revision helps me to de-stress, so I’ve started adding in time throughout the day to take a break and read or watch a TV show that I like. I've found that including activities that I look forward to in my daily schedule helps make revision feel more bearable.

While exams may seem like the most important thing in young people’s lives, it can be easy to neglect self-care. It is important to take care of yourself as well as revising, otherwise you will not be able to perform well. Some things that you can do to take care of yourself during this time are taking a relaxing bath, going on a walk with a family member or a friend, or taking an evening off to watch a film that you love.

The lead-up to exams can be a very stressful time for everyone, and it’s totally normal to feel worried or anxious. But please remember that you are not alone, and there is always someone available for you to talk to, whether that’s a friend, a family member, an adult you trust or a helpline like the ones listed at the bottom of this page.

It’s also important to remember that you are so much more than your grades. So, whatever the outcome of your exams, be kind to yourself. All you can do is try your best. You’ve got this.