10 Tips To Help You Make It Through Exams

The time is here! Warm weather, the end of classes, and oh yeah, exams. For most, this is such a stressful time of year. So I thought my cat Poe & I would share some tips to help make exam season a smoother pill to swallow! It’s nothing new, but we hope it helps 🙂

1. Set the day with a positive affirmation. It sounds hippy-dippy, but telling yourself first thing in the morning that today is going to be a good day really helps! Positive affirmations, like “I am a successful student” or “I have the power to learn anything I set my mind to” can shift your perception and make acing your exams feel well within your reach.  I like to write down an affirmation in my agenda before I plan out my study day (what I’ll study and for how long) so I feel like I have some inspiration and direction.

2. Eat a breakfast high in protein (and eat breakfast, period). By starting off the day with a protein-rich breakfast, you’ll keep blood sugar levels balanced and stay full. This will help combat the midday slump that makes us feel sleepy and unable to concentrate. For a quick breakfast, try a spinach omelette, or greek yogurt with nuts and berries! Not into animal protein? Try oatmeal with a spoonful of nut butter and cinnamon!

3. Get lots of stress-fighting vitamins & minerals. Foods high in Vitamin C (like leafy greens, citrus fruit, berries), B-vitamins (think eggs, nuts, whole grains) and magnesium (raw cacao, fresh vegetables) are all essential nutrients that get depleted when we’re stressed. If you’re a study-snacker, like me, have lots of cut up veggies, fruit or boiled eggs on hand when you get the munchies, and save the sugar for a post-study treat. If you can, cook up a large batch of brown rice or quinoa to make quick and nutrient-dense dinners that you can whip up when you’re too busy studying to cook.

4. Cut back on caffeine. This is a tricky one to follow when you’re staying up until four in the morning cramming, but caffeine majorly depletes those stress-fighting nutrients mentioned above, causes energy spikes and crashes, and creates restlessness. Stick to one cup a day, and then switch to an herbal tea.

5. Take a 15 minute break to stretch or get outside. Exercise combats stress & nature helps your brain feel energized and focused. In fact, why not study outside and take a break once in awhile to get into downward dog? If you can’t get outside, then just take a few minutes to look out the window, and make sure to get off the couch/bed/study-place-of-choice and move around, even if it’s only for 10 minutes.

6. Study with a friend. This time of year, a lot of us lock ourselves in our rooms and don’t reemerge until after exams. Make some time to get social interaction, which will both boost your mood & motivate you to stay focused!

7. Keep dark chocolate on hand at all times. Raw cacao is the highest natural source of magnesium. My grandmother used to tell me to always eat a piece of dark chocolate before I write an exam and to this day I still do that. Keep a dark chocolate bar on hand to snack on while you study–who doesn’t want a treat when you’re under pressure? Another way to get some magnesium? Take an epsom salt bath and soak for 20 minutes after you’ve finished studying for the day. By keeping relaxed (which magnesium does fantastically) you’ll protect your body from getting the Exam Flu–you know, the bug everyone always catches around exams and midterms. You want your head in your book, not the toilet.

8. Get enough sleep. Seriously. Put away the books and aim for at least 7-8 hrs of sleep. Exhaustion won’t help your cause, but being well-rested will have you more alert, more focused and less irritable. 

9. Take some deep breaths. Last but not least, remember to breathe. 5 minutes a day meditating can help lower stress levels. More importantly, remember that exams or not the Be All End All, okay? A test score does not validate your worth. And once you write the exam, you’ll probably forget half of what you studied for anyway.

10. Oh yeah. Make sure to actually study, okay?

Good luck everyone! You’re almost free!