It’s that time of the year again and for many students that will mean exams which can be an incredibly stressful time. Here are some helpful tips for dealing with exam stress:

Space your study out over the semester

Whether you are in first or fourth year, it is important that you don’t leave it until the last minute. Look over your module outline and look at the recorded lectures/your lecture notes. The lecturer is going to devise an exam based off what you talked about in class and your own reading. Listen to them and have a look over your books.

Take as many breaks as you need.

I often hear from people studying that they are procrastinating and taking way too many breaks. Who cares? Take as many breaks as you need. Stretch your legs, get some coffee or herbal tea (the yellow Pukka packet is the best, I don’t care what anyone else says) or go chat to a housemate or a family member. Come back when you’ve recharged. These are strange times that require strange study habits.

Don’t confine yourself to your room

Odds are that you are sleeping, studying and possibly working in your room. It is not healthy to be in the same four walls everyday so try and get out of the house. If the weather is crap, and this is Ireland so it probably will be, try and go to another room in the house to chill out. I know you can’t watch Netflix in the kitchen while your parents make dinner but ye might chat to each other and feel better about things.

Exercise is so important

I stopped going to the gym and training for my local G.A.A. team around exam time in my undergrad. The college work was piling up and I was so anxious about that that I stopped doing it. So I wasn’t exercising, studying or finishing my continuous assessment modules and I was miserable. Figure that one out?

Get a good night’s sleep (I won’t tell you again young man!)

The older and more boring I get I look more and more into sleep and REM cycles, so aim for six hours or seven and a half every night and you’ll be in a good mood and ready for the study that day!

Best of luck out there lads!

Written by Cian Dalton, currently studying an MA in Journalism in UL. Cian Dalton writes about his attitude towards his own mental health on his blog, the Rathpeacon Rambler