Exam Countdown: A Survival Guide

You will likely be overwhelmed by reading and advice and revision tips and meditation exercises etc etc and so I’ll do my best to be succinct (that said, this is worth a look when you’re done here).

COUNTDOWN DO’S AND DON’T’S:

DO

1. Stick to your routine (studying, sleeping, eating) – now is not the time to make big changes, to anything.
2. Use summary cards to whittle down your notes to key points. If you’re dyslexic it’s even better if you use yellow cards with red pen apparently.
3. Eat – getting your beach body for the leaving cert holiday is not a priority.
4. Sleep. You’ll be tempted to pull all nighters. Understandable but ineffective. We need to have slept well to be able to reproduce learned material well.
5. Get out in the air. Exercise. If you feel too tired, it may be study induced inertia – get out and you’ll notice your energy level will come back up. It will. And you’ll think more clearly too.
6. Talk if (when) you are stressed, choose someone who will actually listen and be helpful.
7. Take a lot of breaks. Seriously, do. No, there IS time.
8. Study at a desk if possible, not in bed, or on a couch. (I have reasons for this but am trying to keep it short).
9. Wear the same perfume/ aftershave/ deodorant studying as when taking your exams (as above).

10. Visualise yourself succeeding. Visualise yourself getting your results and being happy, getting that place in 3rd level or that job. Mental rehearsal works (yes, there’s proof of that too!)

 

DON’T

1. Over-do caffeine or take vitamin supplements that you’re not used to just because you heard or read somewhere that they help you concentrate.
2. Don’t take those study drugs that people are trying to sell off to students. All they care about is your money (goes for all drugs, but I digress…) and we know that the side effects can actually damage your performance.
3. Don’t engage with relatives or adults who are pressuring you (as opposed to encouraging you) to perform well. They may well have their own regrets and are now foisting them on you. #NotYourProblem.
4. Don’t tell yourself or others that you’ll fail, not even jokingly. It’s not kind and you wouldn’t do it to someone else.
5. Don’t take fewer breaks now because you’re running out of time. Now is the time for more breaks, because you’re getting more stressed.
6. Don’t talk to your friends before the exams if there’s a chance it will make you anxious. It’s OK to avoid people now unless they’re supportive and calming.

 

NOT JUST FOR EXAMS

Avoid chats, FB threads and friends who are panicking and negative and lying about how much work they’ve done (“I still haven’t opened a BOOK!!” – Right, you know the ones..

Don’t stop having fun – TV shows, Netflix, music or socialising that makes you laugh or feel good, keep doing them. Just not too late at night and remember to give your brain screen time rest for 30 mins before sleepyweepy time.

 

Stay as present as you can – if you’re having trouble staying in today the Headspace app is worth downloading (and it’s also worth paying to upgrade).

 

Mind your lovely heads and be kind to yourselves.

 

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