Renee Sogueco, ‘Doah Staff Writer
December 4, 2013

Exam week at Shenandoah University brings tension that climbs within the student community. The week comes with boatloads of stress, anxiety and long nights. Instead of letting the stress overtake the mind, take a moment to decrease some of the anxiety.

Maybe you have projects or papers instead of class exams, but nonetheless, here are a few general tips on how to survive one of the most stressful weeks.

1. Do not procrastinate on studying; start at least the week beforehand. This will bring less stress when you don’t have to cram massive amounts of information in one night. Each day before the exam, write in a specific amount of time, e.g. one hour, to study for a subject.

2. Bring both pens and pencils. It may be that one exam requires a pen and another requires a pencil; it’s always safe to carry both. Spare ones are good for when another breaks or stops working.

3. If you’re required to have the blue book for an exam, get it early because the bookstore may run out quickly during this time.

4. Take small breaks in between blocks of studying and take at least a half hour break at one point.

5. Install a blocking app on your computer to block all social media sites and other sites that will distract you during studying sessions.

6. Get at least seven hours of sleep beforehand. Having a clear head is valuable, and all of the studying that you did will be useless if you fall asleep during the actual exam.

7. Set more than one alarm for the day of the exam. You don’t want to miss your exam! If you arrive early, this leaves more time to relax and mentally prepare.

8. Set an ample amount of time in between waking up and going to the exam. Make sure to leave a block of time for a healthy breakfast. If you go hungry before the test, that may be what distracts you from doing well. Also, drink caffeine in moderation.

9. This is obvious, but make sure to read the instructions. You may know the information, but points can be deducted for careless mistakes such as not showing the work. Skim through the entire test first and properly divide your time. If the last few pages are essay questions, you may want to do those first.

10. Remember, this is only one part of the learning process. Do not unhealthily stress over one moment.

The biggest thing is to relax and breathe. If you’ve been paying attention in class and doing the work, this should be a relatively easy for you. Good luck.