10 Hacks to Beat Exam Fear

Exam Time, it’s the most stressful time of the year for students across the globe. To help all the students out there we have put together some top tips to beat exam

1. Elevate Your Mood with the Right Tunes
You may be studying rather than having a one-man party, but listening to the right music can make a huge difference to your mood and your attitude towards studying. Consider the genre and volume, listening to classical or ambient music is proven to improve productivity. We would advise classical music at a low volume to stop your brain from becoming overwhelmed but everyone is different so find what works for you.

Get Together to Study
Discussing information with friends in a more relaxed group setting can help with memory retention and keeps your mood elevated and stress levels down. You can also use online tools such as Barvas to work collaboratively on projects and share lecture notes with classmates. Sign up today for a year free with your student email address.

Eat, Sleep, Study, Repeat 
Make sure you get plenty of sleep! Staying up and cramming a years worth of information  into your brain the night before an exam isn’t going to help you produce the A+ grades you’re looking for.  Your brain needs time to rest and recover, so getting your 8 hours every night is even more crucial during exam time.

Give it a Break 
Once you’ve decided what songs you are going to listen to whilst studying, put them all into a playlist that is roughly 45-50 minutes long. When the playlist stops, it is time to take a break and step away from your studies. 

Write in a Language You Can Understand
Did you know that there are some fonts that enhance productivity over others? Times New Roman is one of the fastest fonts to read and is recommended as the perfect study font. So make sure your notes are in Times New Roman font to help you with quick revision sessions.

Treat Yo’Self
Studying takes a lot of patience and dedication, so reward yourself for your efforts with a tasty treat. Why not decide on a range of checkpoints that you will be allowed a treat at, almost like a study treat map. 

Get Out
It has been scientifically proven that getting out for a walk can stimulate the brain and improve productivity. Dr Chuck Hillman of the University of Illinois conducted research which suggested that a 20-minute walk before an exam could boost both memory and brain power. 
Also, the fresh air can help relieve anxiety and stress leaving you feeling confident going into your exams. 

Let the Student Become the Teacher
Find a sibling, a parent, a family member or a friend and teach them what you have learned. This is a great way to enhance your understanding of a topic and you may surprise yourself with how much you actually know. We would advise sticking to people you know, grabbing a random in the street to preach the magic of photosynthesis may be seen as strange.

Reconnect with Your Zen
Whilst studying for your exams it’s important to de-stress as this will enhance your productivity and brain power. A great way to beat exam anxiety is to perform some mindfulness techniques such as breathing and awareness exercises that bring you back to the present and centre your mind. For example, pay attention to things around you that you can hear, see, smell and touch or breathe in for a count of 4 and out for a count of 4. 

Make a Mental Association
One of the most effective ways to improve knowledge retention is to create mental associations such as colour coordinating notes or creating a mind map for a specific subject. With mind mapping software, such as MindGenius, it’s easy to take notes during a lecture or to create study notes from your class material. From here you can group information, colour code your map, add images or videos and attach documents and links to branches. You can also browse the MindGenius Map Library on Biggerplate which hold a range of topic related maps for subjects such as biology and foreign languages. 

In conclusion, we recommend that you 
● create the perfect study plan with MindGenius 
● use MindGenius to revise for all your exams 
● eat chocolate (not too much,though)
● go for walks
● educate family and friends  
● medidate
● get your 8 hours every night
Now you know what to do, let’s get started with your free trial…

fear.