Exams, as hard as they sound?

By Luke Green

So, here we are again. That time of year when everyone panics and revises until the 11th hour. Thought that was just you? No don’t worry, we’ve all been in your position at one time or another. Whether it’s GCSEs, A-Levels or University, exams are never fun. Might sound like I’m stating the obvious, but everyone needs to know that, regardless of what stage of education you’re at, exams can be difficult for all of us. At this time, it’s important to look after yourself as well as your grades.

Speaking from experience, exams can push you to the absolute edge. You’re constantly locked away in your room, cramming random facts into your brain. Well, I was anyway, I know some people just threw caution to the wind and don’t even get me started on the people that were “simply clever” and didn’t need revision. It might feel as if the world is going on without you, but don’t let it get you down. All the efforts of learning Prime Ministers from 1783-1865 or knowing the ins and outs of mitosis will be worth it. The best piece of advice I can give you is that in a month’s time it’ll all be a thing of the past.

Like I said earlier, everyone’s been in your position. I’ve been through the hell of both GCSEs and A-Levels, let’s not even get started on University. My GCSEs were the first time I worked hard for anything in all honesty. I put in hours upon hours of revision in the hopes it would pay off come results day. Thankfully it did and up next an ugly monster reared its head, A-Levels. Now this was a particularly awful time, as I’m sure all my year would agree. History, Geography and English Literature took a lot out of me. Endless hours were spent going over and over the details of the October Revolution; Spurn head and Fucking Rebecca (please never read this book). As the exams went by one by one, I slowly but surely saw the light. When the month of hell was over, I had a strange sensation of relief and disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, I was over the moon to have finished, but now what was I to do? After 2 full years of ingraining knowledge into the depths of my mind, I’d never have to regurgitate it again. I do still come out with some absolute shite about the Industrial revolution or the 1815 Corn Laws (passed by Lord Liverpool if you’re interested) but the majority of it I’ve never once had use for. After it was all done and dusted, a plethora of knowledge became useless and the negative thoughts in my head followed suit.

Exam periods can really ruin your mental state. During GCSEs, my mental health began to seriously deteriorate. I struggled with basic tasks like getting out of bed and, if you’ve read 20 years young, you’ll know what else my mind began to make me think and do. However, A-Levels was where things hit rock bottom. I didn’t talk, cried a lot and completely gave up on myself. It was arguably the worst time of my life, but the main point is, I made it to the other side.

One thing that is essential to remember during your exams is to give yourself a break. If you constantly go flat out, you’ll do yourself no good at all. Sometimes you need to take a day off and let your brain recharge, don’t burn yourself out. That’s exactly what happened to me and I just ended up falling asleep every time I tried to read a page. Whilst this may not seem particularly disastrous, it can lead to much more severe issues. We all know the problems mental illness can cause so it’s important to balance taking care of yourself with revision. If you think it’s all getting too much, then do yourself a favour and take a day or two off. It might seem scary not revising for a bit, but believe me, you’re doing yourself the world of good.