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Tips to Overcome Burnout During Exam Season

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Waterloo chapter.

Finals season is a tough time because you’re so close to the culmination of the semester, but your grade is heavily determined by how you perform on one exam. That can be very stressful, I know it is for me! Here are a couple of tips to keep your studying groove going and get that bread!

Plan

I don’t know about you, but sticking to a rigid schedule is pretty hard! Yet, it is ultimately very useful. Make a list of the topics giving you trouble and think about how much time you need to spend on it. Then plan pockets of time to study them over whatever period you have left until your exam. That feeling that you get when you check off a topic- YAY!

Breaks

You don’t want to get frustrated so after every few topics you finish, plan a little break around 5-15 mins, where you use the bathroom, get a snack or take a walk. Don’t forget to keep your fluids and drink lots of water! If you’re studying away from home, try to pack something to munch on as you study, like apple wedges or grapes. An apple a day keeps the L’s away! 

Exercise

This can be pretty hard because you might feel like you have no time to waste. Spending every waking moment studying isn’t healthy, and eventually, you’ll tire yourself out. There are many apps out there that you can use to take a quick 10-minute break to do aerobics, just some jumping jacks or jogging on the spot or stretches. Gotta keep the blood flowing, and a little exercise wakes you up!

Playlist

Finding a good playlist to study to can be hard with the wealth of music out there in the world. If you already have a study playlist made, then that’s great! If not, try to find one on YouTube or Spotify, or just listen to some binaural beats! I personally listen to rainforest or wave sounds because they keep me the calmest and most focused! 

Inspiration!

A little motivation can go a long way! Write a little note on a post-it telling yourself good things or print a picture of a goal you have, like grad school. Put it in places that you are often. This way, when you see it, you can be inspired! 

 

Exam season is tough, and can tire you out! But know that you got this! Just do your best, and believe in yourself. Always remember that grades don’t determine your worth! You got this! Good luck folks! 

Aniqah Beharry is a fourth-year Honours Math student at the University of Waterloo. Aniqah is a feminist Muslim poet from Trinidad and Tobago, who loves to read, write, and dabbles in art - painting and drawing. She is a national archer and named her recurve bow as Snowflake. In her free time, she binges Grey's Anatomy, Black Mirror, Bojack Horseman and New Girl. IG: @AniqahBe
Hi there! My name is Caitlyn Gellatly and I am the Campus Correspondent and President for the Waterloo Chapter of Her Campus! I am a Digital Arts Communication and International Studies student in my 4th year. I love to read, write, cook and spend time with friends, family, and sorority sisters!