How to Survive Your First Exam Season

How to Survive Your First Exam Season So, you have survived freshers week  and now you are concerned about how to withstand your first exam session. This challenge may be substantially more stressful than the previous ones and a poor strategy can really be a deal breaker for you. You can check our last-minute revision tips to avoid panic before the exam, but below are our best tips for surviving your first exam season at University. Have a clear plan Time is frequently wasted by students on mindless rushing to meet numerous deadlines and adapt to constantly changing exam schedules. Introducing structure into this chaos is a must if you want to survive your first exam session. Buy a large calendar, mark all activities on it, and set realistic daily goals taking into account possible force-majeure circumstances, illnesses, and last-minute procrastination. Trim off the excess Having a part-time job, personal obligations, and multiple hobbies may seem like a good way to balance your academic burden and avoid burnout. However, these activities may increase your stress levels during exam periods. If possible, cut down on these spheres to ensure that you can keep all your promises even if your schedule gets suddenly filled with obligatory seminars while you are fighting a severe cold. Maintain a healthy lifestyle Health problems may be the worst kind of force-majeure circumstances in terms of both your well-being and your academic progress. Make sure that you do your morning exercises, eat several times a day, and keep your caffeine levels in the green zone. Remember that your body and mind may already be stressed to their limits and you do not want to make this burden even harder.    Motivate yourself Being your own parent and telling yourself how important your marks are for your future career may get boring at times. A more effective way is to reward your intermediary achievements with appropriate treats to develop your intrinsic motivation. Have a tasty snack after a long study session, organise a one-day trip to the countryside after a demanding exam, or meet with your friends at a local bar after a long day of seminars. Rest is an important part of growth in all spheres of life, which is why it is important to not cut down on your sleep and leisure. Block unnecessary interferences Buy a second SIM card for urgent calls, log off your e-mail accounts, and switch off all social media applications during your scheduled study sessions. Setting clear priorities is the key to achieving more during a limited period of time. Your mind may wander during the first hours of this artificial isolation. You will thank yourself later when you actually have the free time to spend without the sense of a ‘guilty pleasure’. Passing your first exams with flying colours may be a difficult task. However, it is important to keep in mind that this is a temporary challenge that will be followed by a period of rest. Prepare a plan, concentrate your efforts, and break through this wall. See you on the other side!