Exam stress: How I manage mine

Currently in her fourth year studying Scots Law at Abertay University, Wiktoria Wisniewska is President of the Abertay Law Society, a role she has held for two years. Here, she discusses exam stress, how she manages hers and what you can do to reduce yours.

With deadlines, exams and dissertation due dates approaching, everyone is bound to feel the pressure; I know I am! Below, I will share advice given to me, which I have found particularly helpful in dealing with exam stress.

Deadlines can be especially stressful during these current times, with students being taught and assessed online. However, studying virtually does not mean you are alone with how you are feeling.

The number one priority is to make sure you are not over working yourself.

Taking regular breaks when studying can significantly help with retaining information. It will also help you to feel more refreshed and ready to power on.

Keeping connected with friends and class-mates can also help to reduce your stress levels.

Online learning more or less means that every student has their microphone muted and their camera turned off during lectures, making it twice as hard to feel connected to them. This is why it is important to reach out to your friends - speak in smaller class group chats and you will soon realise that most people are feeling the same way you are about upcoming deadlines. 

Communication with your classmates will not only reduce the stress you feel, it can also make your upcoming assessments easier to deal with. If you hear that someone else is tackling the assessment problem in a similar way to you, this can help you realise you are on the right track!

Organisation also particularly helps me with managing my workload.

It is good to take note of when your deadlines are so that you know what work should be prioritised. This helps me to keep on top of things and to never forget about any upcoming deadlines or other commitments.

I would also like to highlight that student Law Societies at universities are a great thing to get involved in, even if this is simply through attending virtual social events. This can help you feel connected with your classmates and can help to relieve some stress.

My main piece of advice to you would be to take a deep breath, think about what you need to get done, in what order, and to remember - you will get there!

Good luck!