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Facing into exams? Read some tips on how to reduce stress.

Exam time is on its way! It's a strange time of year when most are enjoying the warmer weather and students can feel like they are cooped up inside studying while everyone else is free! So how can parents help them or students help themselves feel less stressed coming up to exam time? We have compiled our top tips to avoid stress and relieve some of the pressure on our teenagers undertaking important exams. Pass these tips on to anyone who is preparing for exams at the moment.

General exam stress-busting tips:

Believe in yourself!
Remind them that they are capable of passing the exam. They have studied the subject for many years and of course have the ability to do it. After all those classes, they have learned so much that they are capable of getting through the exam.

Don’t just worry – take action!
If the student doesn't understand some of their course material, getting stressed out won't help. Instead, encourage them to take action by seeing their course tutor or asking class mates to help them to understand the problem. Going through old exam papers, writing and studying the answers to the questions can really benefit students and help them feel prepared.

Talk to a friend
Confiding in someone you trust and who will listen and be supportive is a great way of reducing stress and worry. Encourage the student to talk to a friend, relative or parent to help to talk things through. Often what seems like an overwhelming problem can be manageable when you talk it through with someone else.

Don’t put yourself under too much pressure
Encourage your son/daughter to aim to do their best and be assured that it is the effort they make and not the result that makes the difference. Not getting a top grade does not mean failure and tell them that you will support them because of their effort rather than the results.

Tips for the revision period:

Time is of the essence!
Starting a study routine early in the year will boost confidence and reduce any pre-exam stress by avoiding last minute cramming. Help your son/daughter to study regularly and to leave plenty of time to revise. Revision will be easier if the ground work has been done and they have prepared well.

Play is as important as work.
It is vital that the student builds in time to have fun and relax in between study sessions. Help them to develop a timetable that will help them to plan and track and monitor their progress and also includes regular activities of relaxation and ‘play’.

Take a break.
Encourage your son/daughter to know when they need a break. If they find that they are losing concentration, they should take a short break – go for a walk, talk to a friend or just listen to some music. When they resume study, they will feel refreshed and able to concentrate on revision again.

Another cuppa? Don't think so.
Discourage drinking too much coffee, tea and fizzy drinks; the caffeine will make them feel 'keyed-up' and make thinking less clear. Try some herbal teas, water or milk as an alternative,

Eat some ‘superfoods’.
Get them to eat healthily and regularly. Their brain will benefit from the nutrients. Replace sweets and sugar with ‘superfoods’ such as berries, bananas, oily fish, nuts and broccoli. 'Superfoods' can help boost concentration, energy and mood.

Exercise the body as well as the mind!
Regular moderate exercise such as a brisk walk, swim or session in the gym will boost energy, clear the mind and help reduce any feelings of stress.

Tips for keeping calm during the exam:

Try to avoid panic.
It's natural to feel some exam nerves prior to starting the exam and that can be a positive and motivating feeling. However, getting excessively nervous is counterproductive as it hinders the ability to think clearly. Encourage your son/daughter to practice deep breathing. The quickest and most effective way of eliminating feelings of stress and panic is to close your eyes and take several long, slow deep breaths. Breathing in this way calms your whole nervous system. Encourage and help your son/daughter to master the art of deep breathing and use it when required.

Blankety blank?
Talk through what to do if your son/daughters mind goes blank. Remember, the best thing for them to do is not to panic - it just makes it harder to recall information. Instead, focus on slow, deep breathing for about one minute. If they still can't remember the information then they should move on to another question and return to this question later.

Timetable each question!
Assign times to each section of the paper and stick to it. Leave time at the end of the exam to go back over all questions and to finish any that weren't completed.

No Post Mortems!
Don't spend time holding a ‘post mortem’ into completed exams and where they may have gone wrong. Often we are our own harshest critics. Encourage them instead to congratulate themselves for the answers they feel confident about, learn from the bits where they feel they could have done better, and then move on.

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