This blog was originally posted for the January examination period.

Before the exam

• Check the time and place one more time!
• Eat a breakfast high in slow-release carbohydrates (porridge, low-sugar cereals or a banana for example).
• Go to the loo! Exams are long.
• Make sure you have your exam essentials: Student card, pens/pencils, calculator if allowed).
• Check out appropriate exam rules

In the exam room

Things you know you SHOULD do but usually don’t:

• Read the whole paper before you start.
• Check how many marks are given for each section and allocate time accordingly.
• If you need to write an essay, make a quick plan first – it saves time in the long run.

General exam tips

• Start ALL the answers you plan to complete – 80% of marks are given in the first 50% of answers so the beginnings of your answers are more important than the ends!
• If you can’t decide between question choices, write a quick plan for both – you will soon realise which you know more about.
• If you are running out of time, resort to bullet points.
• Use your final five minutes to check your paper for obvious errors – they may lose your more marks than you gain by more writing.

Dealing with panic

• If you have a brain freeze, write ANYTHING….literally anything (but preferably something related if you can). This will get your mind working and kick-start recall of the relevant stuff.
• If you know you panic*, work out a strategy BEFORE you go. For instance, some people wear elastic bands around their wrists and twang them if they start to panic – apparently pain interferes with panic signals to the brain. This won’t work for everyone but something else may work for you.