Revision and exams

Most people feel nervous before an exam, but it's important not to let anxiety have a negative impact on your performance. This includes avoiding stress during your exam preparation as well as on the day.

Try to see it as an opportunity for you to make a good impression and get credit for what you know. This gives you a much more positive outlook about exams.

The University has a number of resources to help you deal with exam stress:

“Drop-in To Calm” is a service offered by the Student Counselling Centre to help you de-stress. It will help you understand what's happening when it gets too much, and offer you effective strategies and techniques to manage exam stress. They also have online help, including MP3 downloads on various relaxation techniques, plus free workshops and individual or group counselling sessions to help you deal with stress.

The Student Counselling Centre also provides “Headstart” cards to help with a range of issues students may face, such as dealing with stress and anxiety.

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety and stress levels. There is a huge range of mindfulness meditation apps, useful during study breaks or to help you cope just before an exam. Try Calm or Buddhify for guided meditations, or if you’re after something a little more creative, try the “Colorfy” app available from the app store for mindful colouring!