How To: Not get totally stressed out before exams or other academic deadline

Hello, everyone!

It's been a long time since my last writing as had some exciting time with my dissertation. Now, when it is finally over and everyone is in the middle of revision for the exams, I thought that it would be relevant to share some of my thoughts on how to 'keep calm and carry on' with all sort of studying.

First of all, I think it is absolutely normal to get nervous before the exams or deadline. I think that everyone will agree that it is not natural and very uncomfortable situation in which your skills, knowledge and ability to concentrate are checked in very special let's say environment. So, I guess it is impossible to not care about it at all, but there is definitely no point to panic!

So here are some rules I try to follow when I am facing exams or deadlines:

1. STUDY, Study, study! 
Unfortunately there is no other way to get by and there is no magical pill we could take and absorb all the information needed. So, yes just accept it, you need to spend some hours sitting with your books, notes, slides and whatever else.

2. Evaluate your capabilities and difficulty of material. 
It is actually quite helpful, because if you know that you are able to prepare a piece of work over night or revise everything in few days, there is no need to panic 2 weeks before and other way round. Also I always start with the easiest question to allow more time to the one I have difficulties with.

3. Organise your study space and yourself 

You might want to study in the library or sit behind the desk, but not to lie in bed with a book. It gives you very relaxing feeling and I am not sure of how much you will be able to remember of such reading. Plus, it associates with some entertaining reading and attention is not concentrated on the important details. 

Also if i decide to study at home I like to prepare myself as well. Rather than staying in pjs I prefer to dress up and even put make up on, then it makes me feel that I am actually 'doing work' and I would not go back to lie in bed

Your study area - well, don't let it look like the picture above. I follow the rule - clear table, clear notes, clear thoughts! A nice folder or organizer might be helpful to keep all the materials in a place.

4. Plan your day
I love to plan things and even if it is about revision I make a plan what I need to know by certain day. I am trying to follow this, so I can be calm that everything is going well. I also like to set up a regime - to wake up at certain time and create a study routine, which will allow me to feel that most days I DO study as well as monitor how much of my day is dedicated to it. 


5. Communicate
I am not 100% sure of the effectiveness of this point and I will explain why. It is good to talk to your course mates, exchange with some useful sources and notes. BUT! I am personally not a big fan of revision together. First of all, everyone has his/her own way of doing things and own pace. Also I don't like asking what other people wrote about in their works as it will make me more worried in case if I forgot something or did everything totally unlike someone else. So yes, communicate in a way that is not harmful to yourself and concentrate on your own work. At the end of the day it is YOU who is sitting on the exam.


5. Treat yourself
It is very important! If you feel that you've done a good job and had a productive day, why not to treat yourself with something that you like - either go for a meal out with friends, or watch latest episode, eat some sweets, anything really. You can't study all the time!


6. Have breaks
Following the last sentence - it is true it is impossible to study all the time, otherwise you will completely hate what you are doing. Have reasonable beaks. For example this blog is my break :)


7. Don't forget to eat!
Very true for me. If I am hungry I am not productive, not in the mood, cannot concentrate! I don't know about you, but food is important! Also dark chocolate is apparently good for brain, but well... milk chocolate is good as well.

8. Find alternative sources of information

If you are tired of textbooks and really can't be bothered to do anything, but still understand that you need to learn something today - look for some other sources of informations. For example Youtube uploads some of the full lectures and I really like RSA: http://www.youtube.com/user/theRSAorg

Another useful source is Ted talks. Even newspapers can be useful, if the articles relate to your topic.

9. Keep positive attitude!
The last, but not least: motivate yourself with positive thoughts. Like : It will be over soon! Summer is coming! A little bit more and I will be proud of myself and so on.

Good luck with your exams everyone!