Help, my exam is today

As exams loom for many of our students, we've been offering as much academic and pastoral support as we can to try and ease stress.

Our Exam Officer, Kathryn Schofield has been working with students on tackling exam anxiety lately and below she offers more advice for those taking exams.

"You can find so many hints, tips, strategies, and techniques out in the world of Google to help you feel calm and less anxious when starting an exam, it is difficult to know where to start. Sometimes you can feel anxious just looking at how to feel less anxious!

Feeling nervous is normal – everyone feels nervous at times. However, we can learn how we control that nervous energy and make it work for us in a positive way. This will not be the first time you have been in a stressful situation, and it will not be the last. Think about what helps you to feel calm. It may just be being at home with tea and cake, visualise this.

When did you last feel anxious or stressed, what did it look and feel like? Were your hands shaking, were you feeling warm or sweaty or was your stomach doing summersaults? Recognising these feelings is important; last time you felt like this (maybe in a pony race, a fun run, an athletics competition or a music exam) you managed to get through it and perform. You can do this again!

How did you manage those feelings, feel calmer and complete the task you were doing? What worked well and what was less effective? What would you do differently now you’ve experienced this stress?

First things first, food is fuel for your brain. Your brain needs nutrition to be able to work at its full power. You may not feel like it but breakfast or a light lunch is a must, it doesn’t have to be much: juice, tea, toast, just something to get you through the exam where you will use lots of energy.

Secondly, have everything ready for the exam: pens, pencils (in a see-through case), calculator, water etc. Take time the previous day to collect everything together so you can just pick it up and you are ready to go.

Thirdly, make sure you know where your exam is being held, is it the languages rooms for German listening or a sports hall for English. This information will be on your individual timetable which has been sent to you in advance. If you don’t know ask, email Mrs Schofield, she will give you a definite answer. How long is your exam, do you have another one in the afternoon?

Have you something planned after the exam to reward yourself. It could be cake, hot chocolate, time doing a hobby or another chapter of your current book, a reward is vital.

You have arrived in school, and you find yourself outside the exam room, before you go in take a moment, close your eyes, take a couple of deep breaths in and out and prepare to enter the room. You will see tables and chairs, signs on the walls, the whiteboard in the sports hall with information on. Remember if you are feeling stressed ground yourself by thinking about 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. Take a deep breath. Another good technique as you are sat waiting for the exam to start is to place your hand flat on your lap. Take your finger and trace up and down each finger on your hand, taking a breath in as your finger goes to the tip of your finger and out as it comes down the other side.

The exam has started, take a moment to think what you will do first. If it works for you read through the whole paper, know what is coming, plan your journey and time making sure you can complete the whole paper. Then start the first question, take it one step at a time, you have got this, you are amazing, you are empowered."