Published on Feb 21, 2018
The first round of exams for Spring Semester are wrapping up and signs of stress are visible everywhere: long lines at Starbucks, crammed study rooms, bloodshot eyes, and people napping in public spaces! Tests can be stressful: you want to do well and academics/GPAs matter to future employers. So how do you manage? Here’s a recap of a Her Campus blog post written by Sophie Dodd on coping strategies that can relieve your stress and help you reduce anxiety.
1. Eat healthy
Fuel your brain and body with food that well help you perform your best: low-fat, high-protein snacks and meals and plenty of water.
2. Get enough sleep
It’s important to know when to call it a night. Exhaustion often leads to mistakes and high levels of stress. So get in 7-8 hours rather than reaching for caffeine (which can wrosen anxiety!)
3. Exercise
4. Study smart
Start early, preparing for a test at least a week in advance. Make study materials, like note cards and study guides and attend tutoring or exam prep sessions. Try experimenting with a few different study techniques to find out what works for you.
5. Practice
Create your own practice test (by finding unassigned questions in a textbook or online) or review practice tests and materials professors provide. Simulate the test environment by turning off your phone and isolating yourself in a quiet space, and give yourself only the amount of time you will be given during the actual test.
6. Keep calm
On test day, before you get out of bed try to breathe deeply and relax your body. Try guided meditations that walk you through a meditation and help you find a calm and peaceful state. Think or write down something positive before you take the test (“You’ve got this!”) as encouraging thoughts can influence your confidence and performance.
7. Breathe!
Anxiety often causes breathing to become more rapid and shallow, so when you get to your class, remember to breathe and center yourself. Close your eyes and place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest and take five slow, deep breaths.
8. Treat yourself after the test
Give yourself a pat on the back! Treat yourself, whether that means a Netflix binge, favorite meal or night out with friends. Just remember it’s a short-term reward and you’ll need to get back to studying so you can conquer your next exams and kick academic stress to the curb!