If you’re feeling the heat as exam season approaches, don’t panic. You may have organised your revision schedule down to the hour, or you might be wondering where to start, but wherever you are within exam season, we’re here to provide some advice.
The team at CityBlock understand the stress that comes with exams and is equipped to provide you with what you need to relax, study, and have fun in between! From creating the ideal study environment in your ensuite accommodation to getting support from our vibrant community, we’re here to offer our best advice. Take a deep breath, relax, and read on to find out how you can ace your exams with confidence and ease!
1. Familiarise Yourself with Your Schedule
Before the exam season sneaks up on you, it’s important to keep your schedule in check. You don’t want to be that person who forgets an exam, do you? It’s not just about that, though. Knowing what’s coming up will help you get in the right mindset for each paper. So, use every tool at your disposal – set reminders on your phone, scribble on a giant wall calendar, or go wild with those bright sticky notes. The point is that being prepared and aware of your schedule will give you a head start on smashing your exams; just do your best to stay on top of everything.
2. Socialise in Moderation
We know that as the sun starts to peek around the clouds, it’s very tempting to want to go and let off some steam and head out to the beer garden. But, unfortunately, for students all over Britain, this is also the time when studying is the most crucial. It might be frustrating, but just think about those post-exam rituals to celebrate your freedom, and it’ll all be worth it.
It’s important to note that we’re not saying not to socialise! In fact, here at CityBlock, we encourage hanging out with friends in your student accommodation, which is why we’ve created the perfect communal areas. Whether you want to show your competitive side with a game of pool or host a dinner party in one of our private dining areas, we have it all. Just remember not to get carried away; your future self will thank you when you get an early night!
3. Prioritise Sleep
An all-nighter may seem like a great idea at the time, but when you’re sitting in your exam with zero sleep, you will be cursing past you. Get the recommended eight hours of sleep and eat a banana ten minutes before the exam, and you’ll be bursting with energy to answer all of those questions correctly!
And remember, sleep isn’t just important before each exam – it’s best to get yourself into a good routine a month or so before they start. This way, dozing off will be easy as you’ll be used to your healthy sleeping habits. Luckily for you, whether you’re in our student accommodation in Lancaster or our Reading student accommodation, getting some good rest is easy. Our beds are comfortable, and you get a choice of single, small double, double, or king, depending on which accommodation type you choose, so you can stretch out or cosy up.
4. Take Responsibility for Your Own Revision
One of the worst things you can do during the exam season is to lie to yourself. What do we mean by that? Well, reading a page of your textbook for half an hour and then doing nothing for the rest of the day is not considered revision in most people’s books. If you happen to be doing this and telling yourself that you’re revising really hard, that’s where the delusion kicks in.
Fooling yourself into thinking you’re doing a lot of revision when you’re not can be the worst thing to do during exam season. With this in mind, if you’re revising with a friend who doesn’t seem to be taking it seriously, make sure you don’t fall into the same bad habit. Constantly nipping to the vending machine or spending library time scrolling on TikTok isn’t helpful for anyone, so take responsibility for your own revision.
5. Stay Positive!
As the weeks drag by, it may feel like your exams will never be over. But, once you reach the light at the end of the tunnel, it’ll seem as if the exam period flashed by in the blink of an eye. Just keep moving forward, take one exam at a time, and it will be over before you know it.
It’s a difficult time for students, and here at CityBlock, we know exactly how you feel. It’s important to remember that you’re not alone in this; in fact, just take a look around. Your student accommodation is filled with people in the same boat, so make sure you speak up: venting to a flatmate is a great way to realise that you’ll be okay. And if you need some extra support, we’re always here for you. Your wellbeing is important to us, so don’t be afraid to contact us, and we’ll do our best to assist you.
You’ve got this!
