How To Survive Finals By Minimising Stress.

One day some evil person decided to invent a thing called finals. During this time, most students are united in a state of self-doubt and stress. I have some tips for you to help minimise your stress levels and get through your exams.

1. Make a study timetable, but don’t overload yourself.

Just don’t do this kind of thing^^. Read the rest of this post and fit some of my stress relief tips into your timetable and you will find that your study sessions go a lot better.

2. Start the day properly.

Get up and make your bed (sorry Mum, I do not iron my bedsheets). This will stop you from being tempted to climb back in and sleep all day. You will thank yourself for it when you get into bed at night. Open your curtains and let some natural light in. This will help you wake up and increase your Serotonin levels.

3. Get washed and dressed.

The simple task of personal hygiene can be totally forgotten about during finals, but if you just take 15 minutes to give yourself a quick shower you will feel much more relaxed.

4. Eat some brain food.

No, not literally brains (I know we all look like zombies at this time of year). Lots of sugary snacks will make you crash quickly, so eat healthy nuts and fruits as you study to keep your energy levels up. If your are really craving some chocolate then go for it, but remember that moderation is key. You can try a graze box for free by clicking here.

5. Get some fresh air.

Going for a short walk and getting a bit of sunshine will boost your mood and get you energised for your study session.

6. Abstain from alcohol.

Don’t damage your brain cells at this crucial time. Drinking to get away from your stress is an unhealthy way to cope and can lead to more serious problems. Wait until your exams are finished and you can have a drink to celebrate.

7. Treat yourself.

If you are getting a bit isolated sitting at your desk all the time, go to a cafe and have a wee treat with a friend. Chatting about what is going on in your life will give you a lot of relief. And you deserve that chocolate milkshake after all the nuts and fruit you have been munching!

8. Take a break.

Schedule breaks properly. Don’t sit and play Nintendo for hours on end; Hyrule can wait. Instead reward yourself by reading one article from your favourite magazine. If your energy levels are getting really low then have something sugary to perk you up for your next burst of studying, but don’t go overboard on the sugar!

9. If you must procrastinate, do something productive.

When I just can’t get my studying started, I pick a simple task on my to-do list instead. Today I decided to do laundry before starting my studying. It is nice to have the smell of fresh cotton in my room, and having a shorter to-do list takes some stress away from life in general. Then you can get back to the books knowing you haven’t been wasting your time.

10. If you live in Halls, speak to your RA.

(Yes, I am an RA). If there is too much noise in your corridor, or if you feel like you are really struggling to manage your stress, talk to your RA. We are trained in helping you through these times and we have done plenty of finals ourselves. Don’t suffer in silence.

11. Get a good night of sleep.

I use Badger Sleep Balm every night to help me get off to sleep. My mum has always told me lavender is the best for getting you drift off, and it is definitely worth trying. I got mine for £4.29 here. (And aren’t you glad you made your bed this morning?!).

12. Final tip.
If you are experiencing high levels of stress and are unable to manage it properly, speak to your student support service about help groups and relaxation methods. Also, do not be afraid to speak to your doctor if you feel depressed or are having panic attacks. Becoming ill is nothing to be ashamed of, and your doctor can help you.

GOAL SETTING FOR STUDENTS

Goal Setting for Students: How to Easily Create “The Master Plan” for Exams!

Goal setting for students can be a frustrating process. Why? Because University is supposed to be all about parties and more parties!  Studying is for people in high school right? That’s what a lot of University students think, until a couple of days before the big exams start. Why do students not set goals? Because of procrastination. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail springs to mind!

So how can students manage their time effectively and efficiently so that they can enjoy the University experience of socializing and not be overwhelmed by the work that’s ahead of them? Well goal setting for students just requires planning for exams from day one so that procrastination and overwhelm are a thing of the past. Once you set goals, you are halfway to achieving them. This is a big mistakes most students make, they wait until the last minute to plan and then fail their exams or don’t get the results they want.
Goals are like a GPS navigation system for your life and your exams. When I was in University, my friends and I would sit down at a table and create what we called a “Master Plan”. So what is a Master Plan? A master plan is simply a detailed framework for achieving high results in your exams. It is a framework designed to study the patterns of behaviour of the lecturers and what possible topics and questions will come up on the final exams. It is a framework for success. If you don’t plan or anticipate, you can be sure that a very big surprise will await you in the exams. Suffice to say you won’t know what to expect on the day. Planning will help you.
Would you like to know the 4 EASY steps to creating your very own Master Plan? Ok let’s get started shall we?
Step 1) Buy A Copy of Old Exam Papers: Got to the Student Union and purchase a copy of the past exam papers. Try and get exam papers for the past five years. That should be statistically representative of the patterns of behaviour of the lecturers so that you can start to figure out what topics will come up on your current exam.
Step 2) Plan at least 6 weeks before Exam Time: Get a fresh sheet of paper and write the words “Master Plan” on the top of your page. Writing helps clarify things in our mind. Write the date you start the plan so that all of this is documented. Remember a goal is just a wish until you write it down.
Step 3) Study Patterns of Behaviour: I have provided a picture of what a master plan can look like to help with goal setting for students. It’s important to go back at least three years i.e. 2008, 2009, 2010 etc… and then look at the topics that came up in those years. If it came up then write down an “X” on the year it came up. For example, if Topic A was on the 2008 exam paper and hasn’t come up in the past two years, it is very likely to focus on that topic because it will most likely appear again. Also study the patterns of behaviour of the old exam papers and see when topics came up and when they didn’t.
Step 4) Write up Sample Answers and Practice Writing Them Down: Once you know the topics that are likely to come up. Read the question and then write a sample answer using the books you were told to read by the lecturer. Sample answers are generally five to eight A4 pages long. Once you are happy that you answered the question, it’s just a matter of learning the answer off like a parrot. Keep revising it until you know the answer off by heart.
There you have it, four simple steps to create a Master Plan.

So you see goal setting for students isn’t rocket science. It’s not hard work either. Once you take the time to plan (at least six weeks before the exams), all you have to do is dedicate a couple of hours a day to this revising your sample answers. Remember ordinary things done consistently lead to extraordinary results.