First of all it’s important to say – welcome to the club. There will be 1000’s of young people both locally and up an down the country feeling like you – so you are not alone.
Exams are a huge source of stress, whatever your age. Often this stress is caused because we put ourselves under pressure to perform; maybe our university place or a job depends on getting good results; parents and carers can put pressure on us too – often without realising it.
It is important to know that a little bit of pressure is good, it can motivate us to do well and to do the best we can. But if that pressure builds up to a point where it makes us ill, affects our eating habits, makes us very moody or affects our sleep then that can be damaging.
Here are some tips to help you stay in control:-
- Draw up a revision timetable and make sure you include plenty of breaks and time to enjoy yourself.
- Giver yourself plenty of time to revise – a slow build up – so start early. Do not leave it until the last minute.
- Put on the timetable all your exams and cross them off as you sit them. This helps to show you that there is an end in sight!
- Make your notes user friendly and practice possible exam questions, maybe use past papers as a mock exam.
- Alternate revising subjects that you enjoy and those you don’t. But do not leave those subjects you dislike out or you will never get round to revising them.
- Get as much sleep as you can the night before – don’t stay-up late cramming revision.
- Organise yourself properly, like getting the clothes you want to wear ready the night before. Arrive at school / college in plenty of time before the exam is scheduled to start.
- Ask your parents or carers for help in whatever way helps you – by being more considerate and sensitive to your needs they can help a lot – even simple steps like being quieter around the home at certain times will help.
Try out these useful links for more information
The BBC
NHS Direct
And finally GOOD LUCK – you can only do your best.
