Left handed in exams 😭

I've got my GCSEs this year and the mocks I've done so far I've mostly run out of time in. I think the fact that I'm left handed and therefore have to write with my wrist higher than my fingers so I'm almost writing upside down (if that makes sense) is really slowing me down. I regularly have to stop in the exams to try and massage my hands from out of a claw shape and even then they cramp up so much and my wrist ends up hurting for days. Any tips for this? Do you think my school would let me use a computer or have extra time for this or no?
Thanks so much

Reply 1

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Stressed.gcses:(

To be honest I don’t think your issue is being left handed, although that may exasperate the drivers.
If your running out of time, it means you need to work on exam technique. Or you need more time understanding the content.
Writing strain is fairly normal as you are probably gripping your pen harder when you do exam papers and writing intensively. You can buy ergonomic pens which tend to be thicker, weightier and have specific texture where the fingers rest, and you can buy lefthanded versions. I occasionally got this and used bull point pens from GCSE through to my last paper exams on my masters, occasionally id get hand cramps but id just live with it.
I think you could ask to use a PC if you wanted but id probably try switching to a better pen first. In large part i mostly think its something people should just adapt and handle.