Surrounded by nephews and nieces who are preparing for exams and tests, I am reminiscing over my own rather harrowing exams times.  There is an old school report in my desk where three different teachers had recommended that “Caroline should never write an exam again” and “Caroline has allowed her exam anxieties to overtake her – she needs to learn to calm down”!  

As you know as well as I do, each person approaches exams so differently.  I HAVE taken exams since those school days and though I still feel the anxieties around them, I have some other strategies to help me through.  Here below are a few of my thoughts around them:

YOUR ATTITUDE TO YOUR EXAMS: 

• See the benefits from the outset.  The advantage of exams is that you are pressurised into learning your work and with the right approach, this needing to learn the work will ensure that you understand it and are able to apply the information. Hopefully you are learning in a way that ingrains the subject into your memory and hopefully will be of use later on! 

• It is the learning itself that is challenging and each person will over time develop techniques that suit them and their style.  This adds to another of the advantages of taking exams – you learn how to learn, a lifelong skill and one that is ongoing.  Learning for exams is so much more than memorising the actual content.  You are learning to learn well and all this is excellent for your brain. 

• Approach your learning with the mindset of ‘my brain is so capable and excited to be learning this work’.  Know how able you are to gathering and retaining information.  Trust yourself to finding methods of learning that work really effectively for you.  Study meaningfully and by this I mean, come to your work with a curious mind as to what you are learning in this moment.   Tell your mind that you are excited to get through this study period.  With a clear space around you – and just your books and pens at hand just get to the work.  Open that book, set your timer (23 minutes is a good place to start) and go for it.  Once the timer has gone off, get up to stretch and move on the spot.  Then start again for another 23 minutes. 

• You will never ‘feel’ like working but it is in taking the action that actually drives the motivation to keep going.  Starting with just one small step will spur you to take the next one and then the next one

• What are you learning about?  Explain the work to yourself, and make is as relevant as you can to what you already know.  There will be work that just needs to be learned.  

I do also ensure that I start my preparation early, that I eat in a way that fuels me well, and that I enjoy walking fast in the fresh air.  Also, for me, essential oils (lavender, orange, mint and rosemary especially) help me to ground myself.  I honor my sleep too as I have read the science explaining the absolute importance of restorative rest.  Also, of course, are all the fun pens and highlighters that add to the fun of learning! 

FURTHER TIPS FOR PREPARING WELL:

• Break down the content into sections.  The amount of time spent studying is immaterial.  What is relevant is as to whether you have successfully absorbed the content of each section. 

• Section by section build on your knowledge and understanding.  Starting well in advance you will have had time to absorb the work.

• Should any of the work not be clear to you … ask for clarification.  When, at any point during your learning, you do not understand … ask for help.  This is a superb habit to get into.  Understanding one’s work is absolutely crucial to learning effectively and well.

• If you have left your learning very late, just deal with that and crack on.  Talk to yourself with encouraging care.  Just do something – anything – but keep going.  You might not have the opportunity to learn enough for an A* BUT just take the exam and do your best – and my hope is that you will greatly surprise yourself!

When you hear that your friends have completed all their studying – or your friends claim that they have done nothing … ignore and switch off to all the banter.  This is YOUR exam; this is YOUR challenge; this is YOUR work.  Do the very best the you are able, and remember to reach out to the “support team” that surrounds you!

May the 2021 be successful for you.