It is SO important to keep your health and well being as a focus when you are entering exam periods. The stress on our bodies from simply not looking after them properly (hello junk food and energy drinks!), coupled with the stress and flight or fight mode that we feel within our bodies during the actual completion of exams; will leave us feeling exhausted and in some cases may create sickness, as a way to force us to slow down!
Our wonderful tutor, Maya, has written the below tips to help HSC students (and prelim) when looking down the barrel of their exams!
“Whilst the HSC is pretty significant, remember that your health and wellbeing are way more important.
I stayed sane during the lead up to the HSC by looking after my health, because a healthy body contributes to a healthy mind.
So how did I make sure I looked after myself?
- Have a decent breakfast, lunch and dinner packed with good vitamins and nutrition everyday while studying to feed your body and mind.
- Go for a 30-45 minute walk amongst the trees towards the end of the day. Not only did my walks keep me active and fix up my posture after I’d been hunching over past papers for the majority of the day, but they also brought me much needed tranquillity and some space to think about my day.
After my walks, I always felt refreshed and motivated to do a bit more study before it was time to wind down.
“Looking after ourselves during exams means that we will be in our best condition to perform our best! “
-Alysha, Breakaway Education.
4. I would then wind down by watching a great movie or tv series for about an hour or so before bed to take my mind off my studies, because studying for a whole day can be so draining and exhausting!
5. Have a good night’s sleep, at least 7-8 hours a night, to recharge your body and mind for another big day of study.
6.Remember to talk to your family and friends. There’s absolutely nothing better than hearing words of encouragement from your loved ones, and they’re here to support you throughout your HSC journey.
7. It’s also important to engage in positive self-talk. Whenever I felt overwhelmed by my studies or the fact the HSC was just around the corner, I always used to say to myself that I’m smart, confident and capable, and to remember that I can do anything which made me feel a lot better and gave me the urge to keep going.
8. I also really love music, so during my shorter breaks, I would always play a good song to keep me from burning out.
Maya, Tutor at Breakaway Education.