EXAMS. The Word We All Fear, but Why?

GCSE, As and A level exams have started this week and our Lead Parent Coach Julie’s daughter Aimee joins our blog as a guest contributor. Aimee is currently studying for a degree in Primary School Teaching, and in this blog, she shares her thoughts and personal experience on exam anxiety.  

Well, where do I start: the anxiety of getting the best grade, the endless mock exams, the pressure of making your parents proud, the constant comparison of teenage competitiveness, oh and we can’t forget the teachers’ endless nagging. We’ve all been there. And if you were like me, you’d stay up till 2 am crying while you revise flash card after flash card. 

During my GCSE’S I realised this wasn't working, not only was it mentally draining and exhausting but I was also pushing myself so hard and not seeing the results I wanted and felt I truly deserved.

I started trying new methods: first, it was the flashcards, then the mind maps, then the post-it notes in books, revising to music, then the audiobooks and YouTube videos. And although I found some easier and more creative ways to study, which did make it a bit more interesting and fun, this still wasn’t working.  

I spoke to my teacher, who had previously told me ‘You’re doing too much’, and he explained to me that what I need is ‘balance’ and the reason I was not seeing the results I deserved was due to overloading my brain and not having enough fun.  

I sat and wondered what ‘balance’ meant, and I came to realise that it’s good to have a break, in fact, it makes the work more memorable too.

So I started doing things I enjoyed as well as new things! For example: hanging out with friends, discovering photography, joining a paddle-boarding club, and practicing well-being yoga. This helped to relieve stress, increased mental health and well-being, developed a routine and, yes, a normal sleep schedule! 

In simple terms, too much stress and revision causes the brain to turn off, making you less likely to remember lots of information. I’m not saying anxiety around exams will go away but they will get easier and more manageable.

So next time you feel anxious, remember, it’s not the exam that you fear, it’s the pressure and that pressure is manageable if you plan for ‘balance’. 

Fill out the below form and a member of our team will be in touch.