Whether this is your first year at university or your last, exam season can feel overwhelming. We are here to give you 5 tips to help prepare you to approach each exam with a healthy outlook.

Prepare yourself both mentally and physically 

Start the day with a good breakfast, after a night of rest. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to the exam hall or log on early if it is online. Remember to take everything you need, including pencils, pens, and a calculator. It is very important you bring yourself some water, and tissues can be useful for that winter cold everyone seems to have! 

Keep the rules in mind 

It’s important to review the policies on academic misconduct and know what constitutes violations of the rules. Students who break the rules can face serious ramifications and even expulsion. The guidance applies to online exams as well, and texting or communicating with other students about exam content is not allowed. You can see more information from KCL here.

When you open the paper 

Take a few minutes to read the instructions and questions 

There’s nothing worse than realising halfway through your response that you’ve misread the question! You may have an immediate urge to start writing, but it’s a good idea to take a few minutes and think about the question you’re answering before you begin. This helps you to know exactly what is expected of you so that you can plan. Consider why the question has been asked and what knowledge it requires you to demonstrate. Ask an exam invigilator if anything is unclear, they are there to help you.

Plan out how much time you’ll need for each question 

This may be an essay-based exam, or short fire questions. Either way, briefly giving yourself a timeline for how you will answer should help you to feel more relaxed knowing that you have a plan. If you get stuck on a question, move on and try to leave yourself enough time at the end to come back to it. 

Remember what you know 

Everyone experiences that moment of panic, looking at an exam question and feeling like you don’t know a single thing. It is likely you know more than you realise! After all, you proved you can do this just by being accepted into university! Even if the question feels daunting, think about the background knowledge that you have and try making an outline of things you want to discuss in your response. Exams are written for you to demonstrate your understanding of the material, rather than to catch you out! You’ve put the work in, so take a deep breath and go for it! 

Once the exam is finished, forget about it. Don’t spend too much time going over it in your head or comparing answers with your friends. Just focus on the next exam instead. 

Finally, we wish you the best of luck with your exams! If you have been affected by anything mentioned in this article, or need extra support, check out the KCLSU Wellbeing Hub or come and see our friendly KCSLU Advice caseworkers for anything you may need help with including mitigating circumstances.