Tips to Stay Calm during Exams & Tests

  

If you feel Stressed around Exam season, you're not alone. 

Recent (2021) statistics from the UK show that 15% of GCSE students may fall into the category of 'highly anxious'. 

Regardless of whether you are taking mocks or external exams, GCSE's, AS, or A-levels - exams can feel stressful. 

Here are 5 simple tips to help stay calm during exams and tests...

 

Breathe

The first thing you can do when you notice you are stressed is Breathe. 

Focus on slowing your breathing rate. Taking long and slow exhales. Feel the air entering your lungs and filling your tummy up. 

Know that by taking control of your breathing, you are taking control of the physical symptoms of stress (fast heart rate, racing thoughts, feelings of panic). 

 

 

Reassure.

Next - reassure yourself.

Refrain from beating yourself up for feeling stressed. It's normal and doesn't make you weak.

Imagine a friend or family member is there to reassure and encourage you - what would you most need to hear? 

Perhaps: 'You've got this'. 'Do your best'. 'This will pass'. 

Memorise your top reassuring statement. Write it down. Say this to yourself whenever you need to. 

 

Prepare. 

How you feel during your exams will be influenced by what you do BEFORE your exams - both in the long-term and short-term.

So revise in advance. Create a plan. This will help you in feeling confident in your ability to pass the exam. 

In the days leading up to your exams, it's important you drink enough water, sleep long enough, and practice general self-care like exercise and eating well. 

Think of yourself as a professional athlete preparing for an event. Focus on who you need to be and what you need to do in order to excel in your exams. 

 

Visualise

As you focus on who you need to be and what you need to do - you may find visualisation helpful. 

Visualisation is a technique used by high-performing Athletes & Business people. 

 

Your mind responds to the words you say and think and also the pictures you create in your head. 

If your imagination runs wild and shows you red-faced and sweating during the exams, chewing on your pencil as you forget all you've learned - this picture or movie will create a feeling... panic!

However, if you use your imagination to see yourself sitting calmly and confidently in the exams & finding the answers easily and writing them down - this picture will create a different feeling, will it not? Create a 'mind movie' in your head of how you want to be during exams. Practice each day by closing your eyes and imagining what you will see, hear, and feel. Make the images big and bright. Imagine them in High Definition. Visualising in 1st person (through your eyes) is usually more effective than 3rd person (seeing yourself from an outside perspective). This only needs to last up to 30 seconds. 

 

Reframe

A final thought... 

What if the stress you feel in exams wasn't there to HURT you but was there to HELP you? 

Next time you feel stressed in an exam, decide to see the nervous energy as fuel to help you perform well. 

Your heart is beating quickly to keep you awake and focused. It's sending blood quickly up to your brain which only helps you to remember better. 

 

If you want more tips, ask your parents, friends, or teachers what helped them. 

 

You've got this!