30 May 2011

Exam Stress


So, they have arrived.

Those strange things that rear their ugly heads around the months of May and June.

They are apparently called "Exams" but I am not so sure , a more accurate description would be "try to squeeze your brain a little harder than it's willing to go", or "regurgitate everything you're meant to know onto a piece of paper".

To most people, the mere mention of them brings on a sweat, hands shaking, head spinning, butterflies doing the conga in your belly. That horrible feeling of light headed sickness just as you walk in the room.

This is not helped if you suddenly realise you've forgotten that all important black pen, haven't put your mobile on silent, or are not wearing trousers.
Anyways here are my useful tips for those embarking on the exam period;
  • Always bring Olbas scented tissues, not only are they good for nose blowing if you have a snuffle (which will be extremely annoying to your neighbour by the way...you constantly sniffing throughout an hour long exam), but merely breathing in their scented glory will soothe you head and calm you down, so you can attempt your exams with a fresh head. Also they're legal :D.

  • Bring water. Now I don't know if anyone else suffers from this but I get exam fidgets, and exam boredom. Not only does a bottle provide me something to fidget with, possibly removing the label and sticking on it backwards so it reads Naive etc etc, but it also means I have water to drink and therefore something to do, hence removing the exam boredom. Plus I hear it's good for you :D, smiles all round!

  • Bring a stash of pens and highlighters. This is so you can feel good about yourself by providing a less organised person with a much needed black pen (they will for ever be in your debt for avoiding the wrath of Miss. Scary X), this small ego boost that you will gain from feeling like your a good person will undoubtedly put you in a better mind frame for an exam. Also highlighters can be used to draw pretty pictures on the back of exam papers, yet again freeing yourself from exam boredom :) and, I guess, you could also use them for writing with :/.

  • Bring all your notes with you, there's nothing like showing off to other people how much you've done :D, also last minute revision of that subject you were meant to revise while Casualty was on can take place :).

  • Sleep loads the night before, no one wants to have to look at your saggy eyes when there trying to do an exam!!

  • And finally, leading on from the above, set 2 alarms, being late to an exam run by Miss. Scary X has one punishment, death.
On a serious note, I know they're horrible and stressful and over-whelming, but we can do this guys!! *insert American-eqsue emotional speech* We've been in education for 14 years, this is just the final hurdle
(Before University... but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it)