In the middle of exam season

For some, exams are over, for others it is only just the middle of exam season. I find the beginning and end of exam season the easier parts. At the beginning you are full of adrenaline and nerves as you go into exam season and by the end you are on the home stretch, finally seeing the finish line.  I find the middle of exam season hardest which for me is this week where I cannot quite yet see the finish line and start to become very tired and mentally exhausted. I have a few tips if you feel like me and need to find a way to keep going when in this dip of exam season.

My first tip is to change up your revision scene. Study spaces on campus have been open for some time now so I would really encourage mixing your study scene up, so you are not looking at the same bedroom window for days on end whilst revising. This can become very monotonous and repetitive and will not motivate you at all. I have really enjoyed going onto campus revising in the Oculus or library where I am in a new study space that gives me some more motivation to work. It also helps centre your day around going onto campus so I usually work from 9am to 5pm and then I know once I come home, I can relax and finish revising for the day. 

If you are feeling the exam dip, I would encourage doing some exercise or simply going out for a walk to breathe and get some fresh air to clear your mind. A simple 30 minute walk or a 5k jog, whatever you prefer, will help you take some time away from revision to clear your mind and take your mind off work for a bit. This helps if you become very stressed and anxious; getting some fresh air from revision will really help you. I have really enjoyed meeting up with friends outside and going for a walk together either to the park or grabbing a takeaway lunch to split the day up and give my mind a rest for an hour. 

A great way to change up your revision style is revising with others. This could be in person or over Facetime if you know others from your course would like to revise with you. This really tests your knowledge and can create new ideas and thinking when it comes to revising. You may have thought of things your friends had not and can help each other revise topics you might find difficult. I have always benefitted from revising collaboratively with another person to test I know everything and can apply my learning without my notes. 

Finally, make sure to take regular breaks and get enough sleep. You might feel incredibly tired and exhausted mid-exam season due to the exams you have had and the build-up of nerves and pressure. Make sure to get at least eight hours of sleep a night and keep your body moving! Being exhausted and dehydrated will not benefit you or your brain and will only cause you to feel more exhausted. Good luck with the rest of your exams or assignments!