{"id":23832,"date":"2024-03-05T11:48:07","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T03:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?post_type=advice&#038;p=23832"},"modified":"2024-09-30T11:01:56","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T03:01:56","slug":"top-tips-to-manage-exam-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"advice","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/advice\/top-tips-to-manage-exam-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"Top tips to manage exam anxiety\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Is exam time around the corner? If you\u2019re feeling nervous, you\u2019re not alone!&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve put together some great strategies to help you manage your stress levels. Find out how our students prepare for their exams, and what Curtin counsellor Graham Semple recommends.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Preparing for your exams&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Curtin students Lena Niklasson and Mitchell Humphreys have three <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/oasis-news\/study-habits-for-exams\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">top tips<\/a> that are easy to remember:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A<\/strong>void the need to cram: make a revision plan, set achievable goals, and start studying early. Future-you will thank past-you big time. \ud83d\udcc6&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>B<\/strong>uddy up: scaling down your social activities to make time for study can make exams a lonely time \u2013 so grab a study buddy and make it fun! It\u2019s a great way to catch missed info, too. \ud83d\udc6b&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>C<\/strong>lose your social apps: step away from the socials, and use productivity apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forestapp.cc\/#:~:text=Forest%20is%20an%20app%20that,cause%20your%20tree%20to%20die.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Forest<\/a> instead to stay focused. \ud83d\udcf5&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"testimonial-single\">\n    \n            <div class=\"block testimonial\"  data-segment=\"dom\">\n                                        <div class=\"testimonial__content\">\n            <span class=\"ico ico-quotes ico--lime\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\"><path d=\"M8.44 16a5.7 5.7 0 0 0-1.67.2c.59-3.34 3.92-7.36 7.06-9.22L9.12 3.2C3.73 7 0 13.11 0 19.87c0 5.69 3.53 8.93 7.55 8.93a6.67 6.67 0 0 0 6.67-6.67A5.83 5.83 0 0 0 8.44 16zM26.21 16a5.67 5.67 0 0 0-1.66.2c.58-3.34 3.92-7.36 7.06-9.22L26.9 3.2c-5.4 3.8-9.12 9.91-9.12 16.67 0 5.69 3.53 8.93 7.55 8.93A6.67 6.67 0 0 0 32 22.13 5.84 5.84 0 0 0 26.21 16z\"\/><\/svg><\/span>\n                            <h4 class=\"testimonial__meta\"><\/h4>\n                                        <div class=\"testimonial__testimonial small\"><p>\u201cI make an effort to give myself room for breaks. This helps boost creativity and keeps me motivated to stick to my time planner. I also try to reward myself for completing tasks and be realistic with just how much time I allocate to things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Charlie, Bachelor of Science (Physics) and Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n\n<p>Now we\u2019ve offered some solid advice, consider experimenting with unique exam tips that work for you! Our students have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/oasis-news\/study-tips-students-give-their-best-advice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plenty of fun ideas<\/a>, from creating fake Tedx talks to teaching content to your pet pup! \ud83d\udc36&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hear from a psychologist&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While the above tips are a great starting point, if you\u2019re feeling particularly stressed, it can help to examine and tackle the root cause of your anxiety.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Curtin counsellor Graham Semple, exam anxiety has two main components: worry and emotionality. <strong>Worry<\/strong> involves concerns about exam content, performance, and results. <strong>Emotionality<\/strong> refers to feelings of unease, nervousness, and anxiety, along with physical reactions. Both can have negative impacts on your exam performance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While some level of anxiety around exams is really normal \u2013 and can even motivate us to reach our goals \u2013 too much stress can hinder our performance. We\u2019ve all been there; when stress levels become too high, our focus and motivation decrease, and we don\u2019t get the results we wanted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To effectively manage exam anxiety, it&#8217;s important to think long-term. Graham recommends focusing on \u2018preventative habits\u2019 and strategies to use in moments of high stress. These include:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>eating well, by reducing your intake of salt, sugar, and caffeine \ud83e\udd57&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>getting regular exercise to reduce stress and tension in your muscles \ud83c\udfc3\u200d\u2642\ufe0f&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>establishing a consistent sleep routine and creating a conducive sleep environment \ud83c\udf19&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>maintaining a balanced lifestyle by engaging in activities outside of studying. \ud83c\udf33&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And when it comes to managing anxiety \u201cin the moment\u201d, Graham describes three strategies for navigating high-stress situations:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Try the \u201cnotice five things exercise\u201d<\/strong>. Ground yourself in the present moment by identifying five things you can see and hear around you. \ud83d\udc40\ud83d\udc42&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Focus on your breathing.<\/strong> Counter the fight or flight response by practising slow, deep breathing through the nose (a technique also known as \u201cdiaphragmatic breathing\u201d or, of course, \u201cbelly breathing\u201d). \ud83d\udca8\ud83d\udc43&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>STOP!<\/strong> \u26d4 Take a mindful moment. Pause, observe and engage with your thoughts and feelings (ask what you\u2019re feeling, and why), and then move forward with that new understanding of where you\u2019re at. \u23f8\ufe0f\ud83e\udde0\ud83c\udf31&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>You can hear more great advice from Graham in this video:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Four tips for managing your exam anxiety\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OM5hvZF42_w?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Seeking support&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Exams can be stressful, but remember, managing exam anxiety is about bringing stress to a manageable level, not eliminating it entirely. No matter what, you should feel proud that you have made it this far.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If exam anxiety is causing you significant distress, don&#8217;t hesitate to seek help from counselling services or other support networks, like your local GP, <a href=\"https:\/\/youthfocus.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Youth Focus<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondblue.org.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BeyondBlue<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Exam anxiety is really common but we&#8217;ve put together some great strategies to help you manage your stress levels. Find out how our students prepare for their exams, and what Curtin counsellor Graham Semple recommends for managing exam anxiety.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2670,"featured_media":23833,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[452,453],"class_list":["post-23832","advice","type-advice","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-and-global-community","tag-exam","tag-support"],"acf":{"post_options":{"":null,"additional_content":{"title":"","content":"","image":false},"related_courses":[{"title":"","qualification":"","link":"","description":"","faculty":""}],"credits":{"author":"","photographer":"","media":false},"display_author":true,"banner":{"image":false}},"post_components":false},"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/exams-1000x500.jpg","author_meta":{"first_name":"Anne","last_name":"Griffin-Appadoo","display_name":"Anne Griffin-Appadoo"},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/advice\/23832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/advice"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/advice"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2670"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/advice\/23832\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}