Don’t shoot the messenger, but exams will be here soon enough!

Balancing assessments and exams can be a stressful thought, but there’s plenty of easy steps you can take to ensure you set yourself up for a successful exam season.

Take note of all important dates

Seems obvious to start with this one, but despite it being one of the more important tasks, it can be easily overlooked, particularly when this information is so easily accessible online. Dates January exams are now live via the University’s website, so take a note of when and where your exams are. Even if you have a 7-day window to submit a piece of work, you might need to work around shorter in-person exams during this period.

Positive mindset = positive outcome

Clichés never bode well but a positive mindset really can produce good results. The university exam period can be lengthy, primarily due to the number of exams from disciplines across the university. For some degrees, this can mean you could have one exam at the start of the exam period, and then have to wait towards the end of it to finish the academic year off. But remember – it won’t last forever. Keep your end date in mind whilst you revise, and a positive mindset can improve focus and memory retention as well.

Keep to a schedule

During exam season, it can feel like you’re going a thousand miles an hour, with an ever-growing to-do list and work piling up beyond belief. Yet sticking to a schedule, especially as your contact hours may decrease closer to the exam period, can help reduce stress and boost productivity. Ensuring your sleep schedule is regulated and having set working hours too gives yourself the best chance possible. It can be tempting to spend day after day in the library when you’ve got lots of content to review but having rest days or doing the occasional half a day instead of a full day is crucial to avoid burnout.

Look over past feedback

Particularly in courses where content continues from the last academic year to the next, ensuring you are aware of your weakest areas helps focus your attention to give yourself the best possible result.

This can be extended for essays too. Some common points of feedback often relate to writing academically, improving critical analysis, presenting a strong or nuanced argument, clarity, organisation of your essay, or thinking originally. Looking back at your strongest essays provides a clear and achievable example of what quality work looks like, which can be incredibly self-motivating.

Use the course outline to your advantage

Tackling a year’s worth of content can feel daunting: that’s where the course outline comes into play. Remember your lecturers will have outlined the course content for you, so be sure to keep this handy as you plan what to revise and which topics to prioritise. Often lecture slides will have additional readings or extra material on them, so a quick flick through can provide a valuable starting point.

Practice writing by hand

This might seem a strange piece of advice, particularly for those who only have essays to submit. However, some modules, including those within humanities or social science degrees which typically only have open book exams, may also include written, in-person assessments. Take the chance to practice writing essays or answers by hand, instead of relying solely on your laptop, which is likely your main tool.

Eat well

There’s no worse feeling than being pushed for time, particularly when you have to balance multiple deadlines and simultaneously revise for exams. But this can make food become a last priority. Remember, food is fuel! During this period, meal prepping is your best friend, and cooking once or twice in a week can mean you have food for the rest of the week and consequently save plenty of time. There’s plenty of websites you can use for inspiration if you’re struggling to choose what to cook.

Have something to look forward to

The exam period often doesn’t let you pause for too long, especially when you finish one deadline and immediately have to start on the next or need to revise for multiple exams in a short space of time. Having something to look forward to as a reward for your hard work can help boost motivation. This doesn’t have to be anything super expensive – although tickets to a festival or a summer getaway are two great options if you want to splash the cash – otherwise a nice meal out or even just planning to see friends after everyone’s final exam can be equally rewarding.

Ask for help if you need it

Preparing for exams can be overwhelming at times – it’s a completely normal reaction to what can be an incredibly stressful and busy period. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to seek support. Remember, you’re not alone in this; your friends are likely experiencing similar challenges. Take the opportunity to discuss your concerns with them, as a problem shared is a problem halved.

If you require academic assistance, your tutors and lecturers are still available during this time. The University also offers various support services so do familiarise yourself with them if you think you might require them.