With the exam season upon us I wanted to give you all some tips to reduce stress. I’ll for sure be using some;)
1. Exercise
I know it’s a classic and that it can be hard to find time for it, but exercising really helps! It can be key to improving your current mood, and sometimes it might even boost your brain function. Some easy examples could be following a short yoga or workout video, or you could even go for a short walk in a nearby park!
2. Get Creative
This is one of my favourites! Connecting with your creative side always helps me destress. You could read a poem (or write one;)), do some drawing, colour some mandalas, paint, or just experiment with new art forms.
3. Unplug
Often underrated, but taking a break from the grid, from social media, and just from your phone in general is a great way to level out your anxiety. If you’re up for it you could set a limit for yourself of how many hours a day you can spend on social media or, what I personally like to do, go out for dinner or an activity with your friends (they probably also need a break!).
4. Get enough sleep
I cannot stress enough how important sleep is during your exam season. Not just for taking the exams but also for studying! It’s been stated that an average adult needs about 7-9 hours of sleep a night, so make sure you plan your study sessions accordingly.
5. Taking breaks during studying
This one is often forgotten, but taking breaks while you are studying is just as important as taking breaks after you study. There are several methods out there that can help you organise your study session, one of my favourites is the Pomodoro Technique, where you study for 25 minutes on one specific topic/task and take a 5 minute break and then continue for 25 minutes, etc. But there are plenty more methods out there.
6. Practice mindfulness
Last but not least, I highly recommend practising mindfulness! Mindfulness is a mental state we try to achieve by focusing more of one’s awareness in the present moment. It won’t just help you during exam season, but it can reduce anxiety and stress that comes with constantly worrying about the future, which I know the majority of you out there do;). One app that most of you will probably have heard about is Headspace, which often offers a discount to students!
I hope these tips will offer you some much deserved peace during the hectic period we call exam season! Good luck everybody and see you soon.
Written by Rose Özüm
Edited by Matthijs Uleman
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