GCSE Stress With the January mocks gone and completed, roughly 700,000 students across Northern Island, Wales and England await their final examinations in May-June. And sadly, there is a rise in the number of teenagers seeking counselling and medication due to stress over A-levels and GCSE results by 20%. Fear of disappointing parents to fear of not making it into the next steps in their lives. If faced with disappointment on 24th august 2017, there are plenty other options available not just College or 6th form. Resits, apprenticeships and even traineeships (which work to prepare you for an apprenticeship). There are also plenty of services to aid you in decisions such as the UCAS Exam Helpline. Stress from exams affects sleep, trigger anxiety attacks, eating disorders and even depression.
Very useful ways to relieve stress is to take a break from revision. Whether it is to go outside for a walk or even just to go and get something to eat. Stopping and having a lie down has also been proven to be extremely beneficial to students while revising as it gives the brain time to process the information.
The best way to revise is to discover what type of learner you are. Visual, kinaesthetic or auditory. Visual learners learn best by reading/looking at something so revision techniques to consider would be flashcards, notes and mind maps if you learn this way. Kinaesthetic learners revise the most successfully while doing something. Using objects, using space and diagramming are helpful strategies. Lastly auditory learners would benefit from listening to an educational tape or listening to someone read the notes.
To avoid distraction, first remove yourself from distraction. Whether that is other people or your phone. Secondly it is very important not to over work the brain. For example, the brain absorbs information the most efficiently in 45 minutes’ slots. So, someone who has broken their revision up into little time periods is going revise more successfully than somebody who has revised for a sold 6 hours as their brain will not be able to store the knowledge.
Reading frequently has been proven to improve your grade in exams as it subconsciously builds up vocabulary. Looking after your health is exceptionally important. Eating healthy, drinking water and exercising are very important but also looking after your mental health is very important as if you are not in the right frame of mind you’re not going to do as well.
Written By Cara Dixon, Thamesview School
