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Last minute demotivation

Hi guys.

I've got a few exams left and two final pieces of coursework submissions for my A2. Two exams and both coursework submissions are due next week, and I don't know how to cope. I am extremely stressed out and demotivated that I can't find the willpower to study or do anything.

I'm dwelling on the fact that I won't get into university to study physiotherapy this year, as I have already faced 5 rejections and a rejection from my UCAS Extra choice - one of the universities even said that I was "very good, but not excellent", lol.

Any advice would be great, other than the obvious.

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Ok. First BREATHE! I know exactly what you mean about being super stressed with little time left.
There are a few pieces of advice that have worked for me personally but really it's what works for you:

1. Don't work right before you sleep because you won't be able to sleep
2. Spend ten minutes doing exercise everyday - this is actually REALLY good in blowing off some steam
3. Work in 15 minute bursts. Do 15 minutes of work, if you feel like you can keep working then keep going but if you are feeling like you're stressed and nothing is going in, take a 5 minute break.
4. Find what time of day you work best at, for me it's first thing in the morning so I get up at 5am everyday and go to bed at 9pm so I get 8 hours sleep every night - if you need tips on getting up early: put your alarm on the opposite side of your room so you have to get out of bed to reach it and put it near a light switch so you can turn that on and wake yourself up. Also, coffee helps. If waking up early isn't for you then try a different time.
5. Focus on your goal - if you work hard then a university WILL recognise that and accept you even if it takes a little longer than you expected.
6. Have a post-exam kit. E.g. sweets, pain-killers, no-pain hair bobbles etc. so even when you feel awful in your exam you can look forward to your little care package
7. Re-jog your memory before starting some revision/coursework - e.g. watch a themed video or flick through your books quickly to put you in the right mind-set for working on that subject
8. Think about your summer freedom. You'll not have this stress again for a looong time!
9. When you think it's getting overwhelming, stop and make a cup of tea! I know it sounds stereotypical British to say but there's just something so calming about it!
10. Make a routine so that you do one thing every day and it keeps you calm - this doesn't have to be something superstitious if you don't believe in that stuff (I don't either!) but just something to give your life structure at the minute when your swamped with work.

Hope this helped - as I say, you have to see what works for you but these are the things which helped me. Good luck!!!

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