positivity before gcses

hey yr 11s so gcses are starting in about two weeks (eek) and everyone seems stressed as hell so i just thought i'm gonna create a thread where people post exam advice/affirmations/things they like to say to other students just so we can ease all the exam tensions a bit )) thanks for posting and good luckkk with exams

hey yr 11s so gcses are starting in about two weeks (eek) and everyone seems stressed as hell so i just thought i'm gonna create a thread where people post exam advice/affirmations/things they like to say to other students just so we can ease all the exam tensions a bit )) thanks for posting and good luckkk with exams

hey yr 11s so gcses are starting in about two weeks (eek) and everyone seems stressed as hell so i just thought i'm gonna create a thread where people post exam advice/affirmations/things they like to say to other students just so we can ease all the exam tensions a bit )) thanks for posting and good luckkk with exams

Hi.
This is my advice as a y13 who also is having a level exams soon:
GCSEs are not the end of the world. It may seem like it for someone who is going through it at the time but in reality they are just there to be able to get you into the next stage (apprenticeship, sixth form etc). As long you pass maths, English language and science, that is mainly all that matters. Now I’m not saying to not try to get good grades, I’m saying push yourself to get good grades but at the end of the day there are still ways to do what you want to do. If you end up not getting the right grade, there are plenty of chances to resit and appeal if you feel you did not get the right grade.
As someone that went through it 2 years ago, I understand how stressful and tough this time is right now and cramming is all you feel like you can do. If you haven’t revised at all, don’t feel bad. Just remember that you still have time and just try and get as much content covered as you can. Try past papers and keep practicing and getting feedback from teachers.
Most important thing is LOOK AFTER YOURSELF PLEASE. The trick to getting good grades is to be able to actually have a break. Your brain cannot focus on something for longer than 40 minutes at a time. Set a timer when you are revising for 30 minutes and have a 5 minute toilet break/water break or phone break or whatever you want to do. There is no point in cramming all the physics topics into 2 hours. The only thing you will do is stress yourself out more and decrease your mental health really quickly.
Remember to get sleep as well. It can be hard when you have a couple of exams the next day so the late nights seem great. But you are just going to feel poop in the exam and unable to recall anything. Sleep for 8-10 hours a night (can seem a bit impossible ik). Whilst you still have 2 weeks until exam hall exams, try to fix your sleep schedule, even if you go to bed at 11 and wake up at 6am, it will help your immune system.
As an A level student studying psychology, one of the components I study is stress. There have been studies showing that when your body is stressed/fight or flight, it suppresses your immune system as it is seen as not as important as your organs functioning which can overtime lead to illness as your immune system is weakened by your body. Now that GCSEs are around the corner, you might notice people getting ill with colds and coughs. That is perfectly normal and fine at this time of year. Just remember to look after yourself. It can be hard but eat some fruits and vegetables a day and take vitamins that will help your immune system and brain.
Remember to drink plenty of fluids. That does not include drinking monster to stay awake all the time. Try to get at least 1 litre of water/squash or fruit juice in your system per day to be able to basically function.
And just remember, you are not alone. It may feel really isolating when studying for GCSEs and A Levels as you study none stop and everyone else has it all sorted. In reality everyone is going through and some people may just handle it better than others. Make sure that you keep in touch with other people and remember that just because you are doing exams, doesn’t mean you have to jeopardise your mental health. There are teachers at school you can talk to and you can post things anonymously on here if you feel like you don’t feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings.
Summer is around the corner and as soon as you finish the exams you can let loose. Do things you were not able to do when you were doing GCSEs like sleeping in, movie nights and just be a kid. It is ALOT for anyone to manage (let alone a 15-16 year old). You are going to have a great summer and just remember you matter.
See you on the other side and good luck to everyone doing exams this summer whether it be GCSEs, alevels, degrees or even just driving tests.