Top 5 tips to get through exams

Exam season can be the most challenging time of the year for some of us. If you walked into a post secondary school right now, you'd most likely see sleep deprived students studying for their next test.

The habits that come along with finals can negatively affect our health in various ways. People sleep less, eat worse, move less and stress more. These combined are the recipe for a weakened immune system = sick and tired.

It's too bad that so many professors still rely on exams as their way of assessing students performance. My Bachelor's program focuses on practical application of skills learned in class through reflections and final papers. I am very grateful for this as it causes a heck of a lot less stress.

Most people I have talked to lately are struggling through this season with getting less and less sleep as it goes along. Stress and not sleeping is a circular relationship, creating opportunities for germs and viruses to attack weakened immune systems. 

I want to offer some quality tips for students who are struggling right now. I feel their pain.

Here are my top 5 tips for getting through exam season:

1. Prioritize sleep Being fully rested is necessary for full function of the body and brain. When we lose sleep, we cannot perform optimally and this can result in burnout. Pulling all-nighters, which students tend to do more during this season, can be very detrimental to the mind and body! Research shows the positive effects of napping on our performance and health, I try to nap AT LEAST once a day, sometimes twice. If you must, melatonin/magnesium/sleep aids can help you to fall and stay asleep. (SLEEP IS A MANDATORY HUMAN BEHAVIOUR)
2. Get your nutrients. Science has told us that with sleep deprivation comes along urges to eat unhealthy foods that are high in sugar, fat and sodium. A balanced circadian (sleep) rhythm is necessary for balanced eating. This means allowing yourself to eat what your body needs but also what your body wants. Don't deprive yourself of your favourite treats but eat them in moderation. Over-indulging can make you feel a lot worse. I try to drink lots of tea and water to help when I am mindlessly snacking. Taking vitamins and minerals with water will also help with your body's day to day functioning. Staying hydrated will make a huge difference, especially if you suffer from tension headaches. (Some healthy snack ideas include fruit, veggies, crackers and cheese, nuts and seeds, energy balls, toast.)
3. De-stress. This can mean something different to each of us. For me, it is a weight lifting session at the gym, yoga or a run/walk outside. For others, it may be swimming, reading, or doing hobbies. If you are interested, meditating can be an easy way to implement de-stressing into your day. Science shows how only 2-3 minutes of meditating each day can be beneficial to your overall self talk and awareness. This can simply be done by finding a comfortable position, focusing on your breath and noticing your surroundings without judgement.
4. Study with others. Practising with others to learn the material is a great way to stay on top of your courses. When I was taking finals at Okanagan College, there was a group of 5 of us who got together the day/night before every test to do a huge review. We would start at the very beginning and go over each subject necessary. Discussions and questions come up during this time creating opportunities for everyone each other which allows for better memory retention. This is a great way to stay social while being productive towards your work. If you don't have any friends in your class, try going to the library to find a whiteboard to write everything out on. Repeat when necessary and ask questions when you need to.
5. Study efficiently. Are you writing down every single thing from your notes? Are you reading every single chapter? You need to be smart when reviewing your material, do you really need to spend hours reading each part of the textbook? No. After 5 years in school I think I have finally found the answer on how to study. Start with the big ideas (titles, subtitles) and then move to the smaller points within those ideas. Don't sweat the small stuff. The details can always be added in later. I had a tutor at Selkirk College who taught me to create hierarchies within my notes for easy studying. Make the titles big and bold, subtitles a different colour and the tiny details are summarized below each. This is easier to comprehend instead of reading paragraphs on paragraphs. Draw pictures, graphs, ideas as much as you can. Reading endless chapters is a waste of time in my opinion. Focusing on your teachers notes is much more effective.

And that everyone, is how I manage to get through the toughest time of the year. The main concept you should focus on if you are struggling is...

SELF CARE

Listen to your body. If you are tired, SLEEP. If you are hungry, EAT (mindfully). If you are stressed, move your body!

Here are a few easy ways to de-stress:

• Drinking tea
• Stretching
• Walking
• Mindful breathing
• Drawing/painting
• Cuddling
• Making your favourite meal
• Limit your caffeine/sugar intake
• Get some sunshine
• Talk to your loved ones
• Write down your feelings and thoughts

I hope some of this can help students out there who need it. I want you to know I have been in your position and it is HARD to get through exam season alone. It is normal to feel stressed to the max however it is also NECESSARY to focus on your self care and how you are feeling. You may have 1000 tests in your life but you only have 1 body to take care of.

Thanks so much for reading this everyone.
​Abby