The material is enormous. The exams are near. Many assignments to complete. There is always something that can cause you stress. However, there are always ways to minimize this feeling that can make you lose the earth down of your feet.
In this article, you will find 5 ways to keep your stress down! Let’s dive into my secrets:
1. Trust yourself – Sometimes before an exam, I used to doubt myself. Did I study enough? Will I get a good grade? Will I even pass? The moment you start feeling those doubts, trust yourself. You studied, even if not as much as you wanted to, you still studied. The moment you trust your knowledge, you have the confidence to manifest a better result. The moments you get stressed, think how much you studied and trust your brain that has all this knowledge.
2. Repeat – My second trick that makes me trust myself, feel confident with my material, and not getting stressed, is repetition. As the Greek people said, “Repetition is the mother of learning”. In order to feel confident with yourself, you must repeat again and again what you learn. I personally prefer to repeat things 2 times at least before the exam, however sometimes you may not have the time to do that. Our brain receives repetition even in images. So here is my SECRETLY SECRET to repetition: If something it is very important for your exam/test, make it as a diagram and stick it in a place you will look at it every single day. It could be your bedroom’s door, the wall in front of your desk, or even the door of your fridge.
3. No memorising – This tip is based on the overload of your brain before a test or exam. The less your knowledge is based on complete memorization, the better your brain will perform in the exam and the less stress you will have. Memorizing is a habit and for some things like dates or historical events or anatomy terms, we cannot really avoid it. However, there is a way to make memorizing fun and “lighter” for your brain. How? Link the words to events or create a story so you can remember things easier and so you will not get so stressed that you may forget them in case of a question.
4. Exercise – Yes you read well. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle, in general, can reduce your stress before and after an exam, but also in your everyday life. “Healthy body means healthy brain” they used to say. And it is true. With exercise, different hormones are excreted in your body that make you feel euphoria and happiness. Thus, no stress or anxiety.
5. Relax – “But I need to study.. I cannot relax!” you think right now. Well, relaxing is all you need. Take a break from studying. Do not push your brain too much. Remember: no machine can work 24/7 and not get broken. Our body and brain also. In order to absorb the material better, your brain must be relaxed and ready. Taking a break for 15 minutes every 1 hour of studying or taking a 1-day break after studying 3 days in a row, won’t harm you. Instead, it will make you stronger and more capable of studying longer.
If you want to read more of Andrea’s student tips, check out her Instagram page @study.bubbl.