The Best Ways to Relieve Stress During Exam Season

Exam season at the best of times for students is one of the most stressful times of the year. Over a month students work incredibly hard studying and revising for end of term and end of year exams. Due to this being a very stressful and difficult time for students it can be hard to take time out of your studies and focus on yourself, both physically, mentally and emotionally. Here are a few of the things that you can do to relieve exam stress.

Exercise

While this may seem obvious, but something as simple as going for a walk around Bute Park or into Cardiff city centre is one of the easiest things that can relieve stress for me. I am an active individual that loves playing both individual and team sports as a means of relaxing. Playing sport or going to the gym are great ways of relieving stress and Cardiff University and Cardiff as a city has plenty of opportunities to play sport socially and competitively.

Listening to Music/Podcasts

Sometimes the best way to relieve stress can be found in the comfort of your own home. Whenever I start to feel stressed or anxious during exam season I listen to my favourite albums or podcasts. As well as this I undertake long walks around Bute Park while listening to these podcasts in order to free my mind from the stresses of exams.

Socialising with Friends

Revising for exams can be incredibly exhausting and often leave students feeling isolated and lonely. It is incredibly important for you to spent time with friends alongside your studies throughout exam season. Whether it is going out for drinks, going for a walk or even popping out for a coffee. Socialising with your friends is essential for relieving stress during this time because while it can help to relieve your own stress and anxiety, you never know how much it will help your friends stress and anxieties as well.

Meditation

This may not be your go to way to relieve stress and anxiety, meditation can be a really effective method to limit stress. Even if you only do it for five or ten minutes a day it can be really powerful as a way of relieving anxiety. Meditation and freeing your mind can help with the problem of overthinking and worrying that can be caused through stressing over exams. I would recommend doing it in a separate room to the one that you are studying in to get the most out of the exercise.

Separating Work from Pleasure

The most important way to relieve stress and anxiety during exam season is doing as much as you can to make studying and life as easy as possible. One simple way of doing this is by separating your studying environment and your relaxing environment. Try not to work in the same place that you study, even if it is in the same building. Having separate spaces to study and relax are integral to limiting stress during exam season and making the whole experience more manageable.