How do I keep my cool during exams?

Hi!

I think I'm more or less technically solid on my revision, but I occasionally suffer from exam anxiety and it gets really bad when things aren't going my way. I can't seem to tackle this nervousness, is there any way to get into the proper mindset? Proper sleep, better diet? I really don't want to muck up my A2 exams as every mark counts towards the A*.

Thank you!

Deep breaths is usually the answer for me, could work for you as well

Take long walks to refreshen yourself. It helps. Try keep revision and smooth as possible, don't overload yet rush yourself, it never works. There are so many revision techniques, record your notes to yourself with an podcast to help embed the notes into your head.

Definitely get enough sleep and eat well. Also avoid caffeine on the day of the exam. Maybe do some deep breathing exercises or go for a walk beforehand or even do a workout beforehand / the night before. Exercise is fantastic at calming you and making your brain sharp.

This is me as well but I am not solid on revision. Still have a lot to do.
To be honest with you, it's about your mindset. As cliche as it sounds, it's extremely important not to allow negative thoughts stay in your mind. Try and have positive thoughts then if you can- before you sleep reflect on your day . meditate on what went well. Realise how far you've come and how hard you've worked. Motivational videos can really help- sometimes I listen to speeches before I fall asleep or while lying on my bed trying to sleep. This keeps me motivated and positive especially when things aren't going my way. As long as you don't stop working- what's the worst that can happen? I've learnt to accept the worst that can happen is me failing and for this to happen is if I do not put any effort in- this has happened to me before. You've put the effort in so have faith in yourself my dear Just be confident.

Yeah, I'm a fan of the 4-7-8 technique - it works quite nicely right before. I will try it during as well, thanks!



It's not so much so revising right now that's the problem, rather, I become anxious during the exam. It doesn't effect me during mocks or such because I know there are no consequences to failure; however, during the actual exam the crippling fear of failure is on the back of my mind and gets a chance to take over if I stumble. It's a positive mentality I want to instil - but thank you, I do walk at the local park in the evening these days and it's quite refreshing.



This technique has fared me well so far during exams - I did this during my M2 exam and it definitely paid off. Thank you!



Ah, thank you for that - I always drink coffee to stay sharp on the day of an exam. This was probably one of the factors contributing to my fidgetiness. What should I eat/drink - carbs + electrolytes?



Once again, I could be very confident in mocks and during revision, but the fear of failure hangs over my shoulder and I really want to get rid of it . I will definitely try everything you've said, I don't want my efforts to be in vain due to nervousness. Thank you!

It comes down to controlling your own thoughts.

Other stuff like deep breaths, diet, sleep is secondary as its in the exam where the destructive thought processes start.

The key thing is, to recognise that you entirely control your own thought processes, although it is not easy and it requires practice. People think they are out of control and its like some outside force that imposes those thoughts on you but you run your own brain.

Boxers or martial artists have to mentally train themselves to stop negative thought patterns developing as they can't afford to allow fear to sneak in while they are fighting and it's the same in an exam. Remember the phrase "stop listening to yourself, start talking to yourself".

Read stuff about sports psychology, mental toughness and it talks about this kind of thing. But you also need to start practicing it from now. Practice stopping negative thought processes as soon as they develop and replacing them with positive thought processes. You get a lot of opportunities at stuff like revision time as sometimes thoughts start to creep in like what if I don't do that well blah blah....leading to my life will basically be over. Just stop those thought patterns as they can never help you, they can only harm you.

Emotions always follow thoughts, not the other way round. If you control your thoughts you can manage your emotions.

Hi!

I think I'm more or less technically solid on my revision, but I occasionally suffer from exam anxiety and it gets really bad when things aren't going my way. I can't seem to tackle this nervousness, is there any way to get into the proper mindset? Proper sleep, better diet? I really don't want to muck up my A2 exams as every mark counts towards the A*.

Thank you!

Hi!

I think I'm more or less technically solid on my revision, but I occasionally suffer from exam anxiety and it gets really bad when things aren't going my way. I can't seem to tackle this nervousness, is there any way to get into the proper mindset? Proper sleep, better diet? I really don't want to muck up my A2 exams as every mark counts towards the A*.

Thank you!