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Study Skills
Managing anxiety and exams
Study Skills
Managing anxiety and exams
Study Skills
Managing anxiety and exams
Summary
Many students will say that exams are one of the main causes of anxiety. Exams come with expectations and pressure to perform in a challenging environment, so it is no surprise that they can cause these feelings. But while a little anxiety may motivate you, too much anxiety can affect your wellbeing and performance.
Here are some strategies to manage exam anxiety:
Build routine and foundations
Maintain a healthy balance
What to do before, during and after the exam
Access additional support
Summary
Many students will say that exams are one of the main causes of anxiety. Exams come with expectations and pressure to perform in a challenging environment, so it is no surprise that they can cause these feelings. But while a little anxiety may motivate you, too much anxiety can affect your wellbeing and performance.
Here are some strategies to manage exam anxiety:
Build routine and foundations
Maintain a healthy balance
What to do before, during and after the exam
Access additional support
Read this article
3m
Build routine and foundations
By making revision a habit, you can greatly reduce anxiety around exams. Planned revision can be more effective than last-minute cramming, so start with a strong foundation by creating a study schedule. An easy way to do this is to organise your topics into smaller, manageable sections. You can also take the time to familiarise yourself with the exam format by taking practice tests or quizzes to build your confidence.
Maintain a healthy balance
Within your study schedule, factor in time slots to look after yourself physically and emotionally. Sleep and nutrition are important to support your brain and body. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and try to eat a balanced diet to keep energy levels stable.
Exercise, meditation, or meeting a friend for a catch-up will all support your wellbeing during revision and exam season. Incorporating relaxation techniques and physical activity into your routine can help you better manage anxiety as you prepare for exams.
Before, during and after the exam
Before
A pre-exam routine can help reduce anxiety on the day of an exam. Try to get everything you need ready the night before, plan a nutritious breakfast, and arrive at the exam location in plenty of time to get settled.
During
During the exam, give yourself time to read any instructions and the whole exam paper first to clarify what you need to do. You can use breathing techniques to calm and compose yourself if you begin to feel physical symptoms of anxiety.
Do a rough estimate for how much time you have for each section based on the number of marks assigned so that you are spending the right amount of time on each part. Remember to also leave time at the end of the exam to review your answers.
Then start with questions you are confident about to build momentum. If you don’t think you know the answer to something (and can’t skip it for a question you are more confident about), try the following tips:
Stay calm and don’t panic - breathe to settle any anxiety and stay clear-headed
For multiple choice questions, there are usually a couple of options that are more obviously wrong, eliminate those and then make your best guess from the remaining choices
For longer answer questions, or essays, write down whatever you know and try and link it to the question - it’s better to get some marks than nothing at all
Read through the questions carefully, sometimes they’ll have clues or hints that will help
Don’t spend too much time on something you just don’t know, instead make sure you are getting maximum marks in the areas you are more confident with
After
Once the exam is finished, it's time to relax and unwind. Reflect on what went well and areas for improvement, but avoid dwelling on mistakes where you can. Self-reflection can help you identify what strategies work for you and prepare you for future exams.
Access additional support
It can be easy to get stuck in a negative thinking loop around exams, and maintaining a positive mindset is essential in managing anxiety. Take the time to remind yourself of your strengths and successes to boost your confidence.
If anxiety is affecting you, don’t struggle in silence. Reach out to friends and family. Sharing your feelings can provide perspective and relief, so it is important to keep talking.
Read this article
3m
Build routine and foundations
By making revision a habit, you can greatly reduce anxiety around exams. Planned revision can be more effective than last-minute cramming, so start with a strong foundation by creating a study schedule. An easy way to do this is to organise your topics into smaller, manageable sections. You can also take the time to familiarise yourself with the exam format by taking practice tests or quizzes to build your confidence.
Maintain a healthy balance
Within your study schedule, factor in time slots to look after yourself physically and emotionally. Sleep and nutrition are important to support your brain and body. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and try to eat a balanced diet to keep energy levels stable.
Exercise, meditation, or meeting a friend for a catch-up will all support your wellbeing during revision and exam season. Incorporating relaxation techniques and physical activity into your routine can help you better manage anxiety as you prepare for exams.
Before, during and after the exam
Before
A pre-exam routine can help reduce anxiety on the day of an exam. Try to get everything you need ready the night before, plan a nutritious breakfast, and arrive at the exam location in plenty of time to get settled.
During
During the exam, give yourself time to read any instructions and the whole exam paper first to clarify what you need to do. You can use breathing techniques to calm and compose yourself if you begin to feel physical symptoms of anxiety.
Do a rough estimate for how much time you have for each section based on the number of marks assigned so that you are spending the right amount of time on each part. Remember to also leave time at the end of the exam to review your answers.
Then start with questions you are confident about to build momentum. If you don’t think you know the answer to something (and can’t skip it for a question you are more confident about), try the following tips:
Stay calm and don’t panic - breathe to settle any anxiety and stay clear-headed
For multiple choice questions, there are usually a couple of options that are more obviously wrong, eliminate those and then make your best guess from the remaining choices
For longer answer questions, or essays, write down whatever you know and try and link it to the question - it’s better to get some marks than nothing at all
Read through the questions carefully, sometimes they’ll have clues or hints that will help
Don’t spend too much time on something you just don’t know, instead make sure you are getting maximum marks in the areas you are more confident with
After
Once the exam is finished, it's time to relax and unwind. Reflect on what went well and areas for improvement, but avoid dwelling on mistakes where you can. Self-reflection can help you identify what strategies work for you and prepare you for future exams.
Access additional support
It can be easy to get stuck in a negative thinking loop around exams, and maintaining a positive mindset is essential in managing anxiety. Take the time to remind yourself of your strengths and successes to boost your confidence.
If anxiety is affecting you, don’t struggle in silence. Reach out to friends and family. Sharing your feelings can provide perspective and relief, so it is important to keep talking.
Written by Natalie Bull
Written by Natalie Bull
0:00/1:34
Summary
Many students will say that exams are one of the main causes of anxiety. Exams come with expectations and pressure to perform in a challenging environment, so it is no surprise that they can cause these feelings. But while a little anxiety may motivate you, too much anxiety can affect your wellbeing and performance.
Here are some strategies to manage exam anxiety:
Build routine and foundations
Maintain a healthy balance
What to do before, during and after the exam
Access additional support
Read this article
Many students will say that exams are one of the main causes of anxiety. Exams come with expectations and pressure to perform in a challenging environment, so it is no surprise that they can cause these feelings. But while a little anxiety may motivate you, too much anxiety can affect your wellbeing and performance.
Here are some strategies to manage exam anxiety:
Build routine and foundations
Maintain a healthy balance
What to do before, during and after the exam
Access additional support
Build routine and foundations
By making revision a habit, you can greatly reduce anxiety around exams. Planned revision can be more effective than last-minute cramming, so start with a strong foundation by creating a study schedule. An easy way to do this is to organise your topics into smaller, manageable sections. You can also take the time to familiarise yourself with the exam format by taking practice tests or quizzes to build your confidence.
Maintain a healthy balance
Within your study schedule, factor in time slots to look after yourself physically and emotionally. Sleep and nutrition are important to support your brain and body. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and try to eat a balanced diet to keep energy levels stable.
Exercise, meditation, or meeting a friend for a catch-up will all support your wellbeing during revision and exam season. Incorporating relaxation techniques and physical activity into your routine can help you better manage anxiety as you prepare for exams.
Before, during and after the exam
Before
A pre-exam routine can help reduce anxiety on the day of an exam. Try to get everything you need ready the night before, plan a nutritious breakfast, and arrive at the exam location in plenty of time to get settled.
During
During the exam, give yourself time to read any instructions and the whole exam paper first to clarify what you need to do. You can use breathing techniques to calm and compose yourself if you begin to feel physical symptoms of anxiety.
Do a rough estimate for how much time you have for each section based on the number of marks assigned so that you are spending the right amount of time on each part. Remember to also leave time at the end of the exam to review your answers.
Then start with questions you are confident about to build momentum. If you don’t think you know the answer to something (and can’t skip it for a question you are more confident about), try the following tips:
Stay calm and don’t panic - breathe to settle any anxiety and stay clear-headed
For multiple choice questions, there are usually a couple of options that are more obviously wrong, eliminate those and then make your best guess from the remaining choices
For longer answer questions, or essays, write down whatever you know and try and link it to the question - it’s better to get some marks than nothing at all
Read through the questions carefully, sometimes they’ll have clues or hints that will help
Don’t spend too much time on something you just don’t know, instead make sure you are getting maximum marks in the areas you are more confident with
After
Once the exam is finished, it's time to relax and unwind. Reflect on what went well and areas for improvement, but avoid dwelling on mistakes where you can. Self-reflection can help you identify what strategies work for you and prepare you for future exams.
Access additional support
It can be easy to get stuck in a negative thinking loop around exams, and maintaining a positive mindset is essential in managing anxiety. Take the time to remind yourself of your strengths and successes to boost your confidence.
If anxiety is affecting you, don’t struggle in silence. Reach out to friends and family. Sharing your feelings can provide perspective and relief, so it is important to keep talking.
Written by Natalie Bull
Nat is Booost Education’s copywriter and artist-in-residence and brings considerable authenticity to our marketing content through her own expertise and experience from supporting DSA students and her neurodivergent son.
Written by Natalie Bull
Nat is Booost Education’s copywriter and artist-in-residence and brings considerable authenticity to our marketing content through her own expertise and experience from supporting DSA students and her neurodivergent son.