It’s Stress Awareness Month and Warwickshire County Council is sharing tips and information to help people find ways to manage stress and improve their wellbeing.
Continuing the theme this week, the council is focusing on young people who may be preparing for summer examinations and offering help to manage the pressures they may face around exams and in considering their plans for the future.
Warwickshire’s Education Service works closely with 250 schools across the county, and has links with the county’s colleges, to help children and young people get the most from their education. In recognition of how pupils may be feeling as they prepare for summer examinations and leaving school, the service is sharing some advice for young people and their families to help them through what can be a challenging time.
Tips for young people to prepare for exams
-
Plan revision around an easy to follow and realistic timetable – aim for 2-3 hours a day broken into manageable chunks with lots of downtime and some rewards.
-
Set a plan that works for you and remember people learn in different ways! Make your own revision materials. Instead of just trying to memorise notes, try making flash cards, voice recordings or mind maps… you could even write a song or poem.
-
Organise your workspace. Where you work is important, if you're in a stressful environment, it is inevitable that the stress will rub off on you. Find somewhere light and calm where you can spread out and get organised.
-
Look after your physical health – take some exercise, get fresh air, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep.
-
Eat! We don’t perform well when we’re hungry, so no matter how nervous you are, eat a balanced breakfast. Avoid sugary foods like chocolate, this will give you a sudden burst of energy but may cause you to crash during the exam. If your exam is in the afternoon, make sure you eat a decent balanced lunch before that too.
-
Limit screen time, particularly at night-time, try to put phones and tablets down and come off-line 45 minutes before bed.
-
Continue to keep some time aside to do the things you enjoy, such as sport, hobbies and seeing your friends. It is good to take time to reward yourself for your time spent revising.
-
Talk to other people you trust about how you’re feeling such as friends, family and teachers. They can support you and work with you through any concerns.
-
Reflect on all you’ve learned to try and sum up all you’ve been doing so far and how you will be able to demonstrate knowledge.
-
Remember not to be too hard on yourself. Be the best you can be, that's all you can do. If it doesn’t work out, remember that it's not the end of the world.
There are lots of options, support, guidance and advice for young people and their families in the run up to exams, around results and making decisions about the future. It’s important to remember that when results are published if you don’t do as well as you expected, there are various options you can explore. Speak to the adults you trust for their perspective and ask teachers and other professionals for advice.
Warwickshire County Council’s Director of Education, Johnny Kyriacou, said: “Preparing to take exams and move into the next stage of life can be a difficult time for young people. Change is hard and the pressures of studying and achieving their goals may feel overwhelming. I encourage families to reach out for support and do what they can to optimise health and wellbeing at this time.
“After the exams and the end of the summer term, young people will be looking to their futures. My advice to a young person who is leaving school and worried about a new school, college, university or the workplace, is to try and focus on the positive points and what you might be looking forward to. Everything will be different, and you will meet new people, which can be daunting, but you’ve done it before and can do it again. Find out as much as you can about what you will be doing next so you are armed with information and understand what to expect. Most importantly, remember who you are doing it for – you!”
For more information about managing exam related stress and being prepared download the NHS guides Tips on preparing for exams – NHS and Help your child beat exam stress - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Further information is also available at www.nhs.uk and www.wawickshire.gov.uk/education
Helping children and young people to be healthy, happy and skilled are key ambitions for Child Friendly Warwickshire – the county’s commitment to helping youngsters fulfill their potential and have positive futures. Find out more about this programme at www.childfriendlywarwickshire.co.uk.
General information to support wellbeing can be found on the council’s website www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wellness