Is your heart racing, are you sleeping badly and do you feel sick whenever you think about the upcoming exam period or the next presentation? Do you find it difficult to concentrate and have you developed writer’s block? Or have you ever considered postponing exams or not even turning up at all?
If you are familiar with any of this, we’ve got good news for you. There are effective techniques you can use to get your exam stress under control. Here we have put together some practical tips and information on suitable exercises.
Key points at a glance
- Pre-exam nerves are normal – the examination period comes around again every semester. Being nervous to some extent can even be helpful, as this can actually motivate you.
- Good planning pays off: Those who retain an overview go into the examination period more relaxed. So, plan your semester well ahead.
- Learning how to speak well: If you use the right techniques, you will find oral exams and presentations much easier. Simple mental training can help.
- Don’t be afraid of the blank page: There are some helpful things you can do to combat writer’s block – such as overcoming your perfectionist tendencies or simply changing your location.
- What to do if it things don’t go as planned? You can also learn from dealing with setbacks. You will find tips on how to do this below.
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Podcast | Coping with exam stress (25:42)
read by Frank Newton
Exam stress:
It’s the same thing every semester.
Every semester there are more exams, papers to write and lectures waiting for you. Each comes with a deadline, and with grading. This is enough to cause exam stress. Sometimes, the stress only arises because too many of the deadlines fall around the same time.
Don’t worry, being nervous before an exam is completely normal. Nerves can even be helpful. Your body is switching on and getting ready to perform. But it is important that you don’t become excessively nervous. If you weren’t worried about an exam, you probably wouldn’t even bother to do any preparation at all. But if anxiety takes hold of you, it can paralyze you, affect your concentration and memory and this can disrupt both your preparation and your performance in the exam itself.
Exam preparation requires practice.
Proper planning
Don’t wait until the last minute; instead get an overview of what exams you will need to sit at the beginning of each semester. If you carefully plan in advance for the exam period, you can save yourself a lot of stress.
Gather information
What do you need to know about each exam? Collect all important information: When is an exam to be held? When do I need to sign up for it? What form will it take? What is the subject matter? Where can I find material to help me revise? Then think about when you want to start revising and create a concrete study plan (this can also be done in the form of a mind map), allowing yourself sufficient time to go through material again and for breaks. If you need more information on the topic of “planning”, then take a look at the section on “Being well organized”.
Creating a revision toolbox
Create a revision “toolbox” using targeted learning techniques. These will help you sustainably learn and better internalize a large amount of learning material. This starts with structuring your learning material. This will automatically create a classification system that will make it easier to call up information from memory. Think in terms of connections by relating new information to what you already know. Depending on the type of learner you are, you can use various learning techniques to achieve the best possible learning outcome.
Which type are you?
Do you think in terms of images and are thus more of a visual type? If so, create a mind map or a diagram of the most important terms and related concepts. Or do you learn with your ears, by listening? Then record all the important information and listen to it over and over again. Perhaps you’re more practical, and you tend to “learn by doing”? Then try to come up with as many exercises as you can which suit the learning material. And if you learn best by talking things through, then form a study group and exchange ideas and information with others.
Avoid distractions while memorizing: Many subjects involve things that you are required to learn by heart, such as certain definitions or annual figures. When memorizing, make sure that you get rid of all distractions (e.g. your smartphone!) and take regular breaks.
The “memory journey” method (also known as the method of loci) will enable you to memorize terms in a particular sequence.
This video shows you how to do this (2:21, 11MB).
View video “The “memory journey” method (also known as the method of loci) will enable you to memorize terms in a particular sequence. ”Here you can discover more learning techniques.
View PDF now
Shut out thoughts which contribute to stress.
Do you doubt yourself? There are a few typical thoughts that contribute to stress and can trigger and intensify exam stress in particular. However, these thoughts do not necessarily reflect reality. Maybe you’re very critical of yourself and place very high demands on yourself and your performance. Maybe you don’t have much faith in yourself and you’re very insecure. All of this will influence your feelings when you’re studying and will make your exam preparation more difficult. Your performance during an exam could also be impaired.
Perspective can make a difference
Be aware of what is going through your mind when you study or when you think about an exam. Ask yourself the following questions: How many credits is the exam worth? How important is it compared to all the other assignments I have already completed at university and those still to come? What would really happen if I flunk it or get a bad grade? What will I think about this exam in a year’s time? You’ll find more tips in the section “Controlling thoughts and feelings”.
Mind-blanking – when your brain shuts down
If the mental strain gets too intense, the transfer of information in the brain no longer operates as it should – after all, in threat situations it is the body rather than the brain that is supposed to react. Your mind can still go blank even if you are well prepared. If this happens, there is a simple exercise that can help you.
Breaking out of the vicious circle
Accept the fact that your mind has gone blank, take several deep breaths and give yourself some words of encouragement (“This can happen to anyone, it will soon pass”). This will help you break out of the vicious circle of anxiety and your body will calm down. Catastrophic thinking, on the other hand, such as “It’s all over, I’m going to fail!” fuels anxiety. Be brave: In an oral exam, you can tell the examiner that your mind has gone blank and ask them to repeat or rephrase the question. This will give you a breathing space. In the case of a written exam, it is best to start with a task that you know you can complete. That can give you a good feeling right away.
Breathing exercise
Mini-breathing exercise
Here you can find instructions for a short breathing exercise (2:13), which you can use while preparing for exams, as well as during written exams themselves (read by Frank Newton).
What kind of exam am I studying for?
Adapt your preparation to the format of the exam. Some exams require you learn a lot by heart, while others require you to use what you have learned. The way you need to prepare will also be determined by the type of examination, i.e. whether it is an oral exam, written exam or e-exam.
Rehearse an examination
Prepare and practice in a situation similar to that of the exam. If you are studying for an oral exam, say out loud what you have learned or talk to a friend about it. Practice in exam simulation situations in which you ask people to test you on the material. This will help you develop a suitable pace of speaking and to formulate your replies. Another way you can prepare yourself for difficult exam situations is by adopting different roles; try being tough one minute and friendly the next.
Find old exams and, if you’re preparing for a written exam, write down the material from memory. The same goes for multiple choice exams – you can draft sample questions to practice these.
Everything at a glance: here you’ll find a checklist that will help you prepare for the exam period.
View the checklist now
Presentations and oral exams
Practicing being confident in a presentation
Are you worried that your voice will falter? Many students find it difficult to speak in front of others. Often it is because they feel uneasy being the center of attention, especially if they are being assessed at the same time. In order to become more confident in public speaking situations you need to practice as much as possible. You can train yourself to be more confident in public.
Consider your behavior in this situation
Make sure your facial expression and gestures, voice and the language you use convey confidence. Practice in front of the mirror. Speak aloud to yourself, perform in front of friends or family, and get feedback from them. Record a video of yourself speaking, watch it and see how you feel about yourself. You’ll probably find you don’t look as unsure of yourself as you thought.
Everything at a glance: here you will find a checklist with some tips on acting confidently during a presentation.
View the checklist now
Mental training
You can also practice speaking in your imagination. Athletes call this technique mental training, in which new ways of thinking and behaving can be practiced, and often use it before competing in an event, for example. A hurdler, for example, might imagine how to jump all the hurdles and reach the finish first. A positive idea puts you in a good mood and releases energy. That’s exactly what you need to give a good presentation.
Train regularly
Find the type of mental training that is right for you. Do it regularly during your exam preparation, preferably on a daily basis.
Version 1: One option is to picture yourself in an overall positive situation. Imagine the following scenario in detail: You are standing in front of your seminar group and very confidently delivering a good presentation.
Here you will find a guide for this type of training, both with or without relaxing music.
Imagination exercise – version 1
A good presentation
WITH relaxing music, read by Frank Newton (3:34)
Imagination exercise – version 1
A good presentation
WITHOUT relaxing music, read by Frank Newton (3:24)
Version 2: Alternatively, you can picture to yourself how you might deal with potential hurdles or mistakes in this situation. Imagine the following scenario in detail: You are present in an oral exam, your examiner looks at you expectantly and your mind goes completely blank. Imagine how you handle this problem confidently and competently.
A question of perspective
Try and turn off that horror movie that is running in your head – the fear of public speaking is often simply the fear of making a fool of yourself or making a mistake. Your thoughts play a decisive role in this. Imagine a fellow student yawning during your presentation. If you think: “Anna is tired today, maybe she spent a long time traveling yesterday”, this will probably ensure her yawning has no effect on your presentation or mood. But if you think: “Oh no, my talk is really boring. I didn’t prepare well enough”, you’ll start looking more closely at the other members of your seminar group, lose focus and become more nervous. You may even lose your train of thought. As a result, you get caught in a vicious circle.
Write down helpful thoughts
Keep your thoughts in mind and shut out negative thinking. Judge yourself as you would judge others. Most of the time, our judgment of others is more sympathetic. Write down helpful, anxiety-reducing thoughts and read them over and over again in preparation for your presentation. You can find more tips on “Controlling thoughts and feelings” here.
A question of attention
Sweating, trembling, heart racing – fear of public speaking often leads you to concentrate too much on the accompanying symptoms affecting your body. This means your attention is focused inwardly and consequently, also on your anxious thoughts. This naturally leads to increased anxiety levels. Therefore, it is important to divert your attention away from your physical reactions.
Focus on the outside
Direct your attention from the inside (your body) to the outside (to the current situation, your presentation).
You can learn and practice (academic) writing
Do you sit in front of an empty computer screen all day and find that nothing occurs to you? Or, maybe you write way too much, but you can’t really use any of it? Maybe you have a deadline to meet and are worried about submitting your assignment? These are all problems that can occur at any time during the writing process.
First of all, bear in mind that it is perfectly normal and OK to experience unpleasant feelings while writing. Be aware of these and try to find out what the triggers are.
And don’t forget: Everyone writes in a different way. Some will simply spontaneously write down what comes into their heads and correct what they have written afterwards, while others prefer to plan the structure very precisely before they get down to the actual writing. So take a look at which of the suggested tips might suit you and try one out.
Get an overview
First, get an overview of the basic framework of your writing project: What do you need to write about? When do you have to submit the assignment? How many pages do you need to write? You can find out how to create a project plan in the section “Being well organized”.
Start with the part that is easiest for you
Do you have trouble getting started? You don’t have to start with the introduction, start by writing the part that is easiest for you. Write with low expectations and firstly don’t put too much thought into it. Writing is a process, and can be corrected and changed again and again. You can only improve it if there is something there to improve.
Starting to write
If you have constant problems with starting to write, there are various writing exercises that can help you. “Free writing” for example. Take five minutes before starting on your task and write down everything that comes into your head. Alternatively, you can write about a favorite memory, your last holiday, for example, or a fairy tale or a story. There are no limits to your creativity.
Write a letter to your writing project
If you’re not getting on well with your writing, write a letter to your project in which you tell it about the things that are going well and those that are not. Writing it down will help you to articulate yourself and possibly begin to find solutions to the problems.
Writing journal
Create a writing journal. Here you can log all of your thoughts, feelings, concerns, ideas and questions about the task. At the end of a writing session, you can also write down your last thoughts in the journal, as this makes it easier for you to come back and start next time.
Change of perspective
Could you benefit from looking at your writing project from a different angle? Then try to convert your project into a contribution for a kids’ TV show you like. What makes the subject fun? Is there anything in particular that you want to explore or show in your contribution? What do we currently know about this subject? Explaining your subject in a form that children will understand will help you better identify the difficulties and should help awaken your interest.
Dictate your thoughts
Do you have everything you want to write in your head, but can’t get it down on paper? Make an audio recording of all your thoughts and then write them down.
Change of scenery
Can’t concentrate in your shared apartment? Then write in the library, in a nice café or if the weather is good, next to the Rhine. A change of scenery can improve your mood and also boost your creativity and motivation.
Form a writing group
Form a writing group with friends or fellow students. You can arrange to meet at the library and write together or you could always meet where someone lives. You can also correct passages from each other’s work.
Talk to your supervisor/mentor
All questions concerning the content and structure should be discussed with your supervisor. There is also support in your faculty for questions about “scientific writing” and at the writing center.
Everything at a glance: here you will find all the writing exercises available as a download.
read pdf now
What if, despite everything, nothing works?
Deferring exams
Have you tried everything and still don’t think you will pass the exam or meet the deadline? Is it more than just your worries talking? Of course, there are situations in which it makes sense to ask to defer an examination or to ask for an extension to a deadline (for example, due to illness).
Think what you would advise someone else to do.
Ask yourself: “Do I have a realistic chance of passing this exam I?” and: “What would I advise my best friend to do in my position?” Consider whether you have tried everything to overcome your current difficulties. Is there anyone you can ask for help, such as friends/fellow students or perhaps the faculty or a professional service can provide advice? Use these options first before making a decision for or against postponing sitting the exam.
Dealing with failure
Keep your head up and move on. Maybe you got a bad grade, didn’t pass an exam, messed up a presentation or failed to submit seminar paper on time? Failures and mistakes can be embarrassing, but they are part of life at university. What is important is how you deal with failure and whether you can learn from it in order to make future changes.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Worrying about the reactions of others can also be a source of stress. One mistake is not the same as complete failure. People tend to attach more importance to the negatives than the positives in their lives.
Do you quickly lose sight of the positives when something goes wrong? Then read here how you can enhance your self-esteem.
How to deal with setbacks properly
Accept that this time it didn’t go the way you wanted or imagined it would. Also allow yourself to feel the emotions that come with it, such as shame, anger, disappointment, or sadness. Then, the next step is to take a closer look – as objectively as possible – at what might have been the problem, and then use your awareness of this problem to help you during the next exam period or writing project. Make sure to also remind yourself of your strengths and successes and set yourself new goals. Write down as much as you can. This makes it much easier to analyze the situation. If you can’t do this on your own, ask a friend or family member for help.
And if these tips are still not enough?
Do you suffer from intense anxiety in exams or before presentations, or have a serious case of writer’s block? Then it might be a good idea to seek professional advice. The JGU Mental Health Services for Students offers courses, online advice and individual consultation sessions on the topics mentioned here; take a look.