With mock exams fast approaching this wintery time of year, students in Year 11 and Year 13 have the extended burden of preparing and performing well in such critical exams. As a result, one may experience drawbacks in terms of mental health and well-being, overall happiness, and their mindset of school. So how do we cope?

 

It is firstly important to recognise that these exams do have a significant impact on the lives of students in Year 11 and 13. Therefore, it is important to approach preparation in a manner which will allow one to come out of an exam victorious and finally achieve the grade that they are deserving of. The approach itself should be very open-minded and should factor in aspects such as allowing you to have breaks and time away from the desk. This allows the mind to rest and reset before having another attempt at a particular gremlin of a topic. These types of breaks could include playing your instrument, going out with friends, or making yourself a nice hot beverage; these small but often breaks enable you to keep the drive ongoing and most efficient. 

 

The term ‘micro-breaks’ originates from the ergonomics literature, which can be defined as scheduled rests that people take to present progressive physical issues such as back pains or discomfort. Overtime, if not addressed properly may result in chronic cases of back pain which may affect other aspects of your lifestyle. Other than that doom and gloom, taking a break allows your mind to rest, and gives it a chance to absorb all the information that you just absorbed and processed. A study showed that allowing oneself to part from a specific difficult part of your course and returning to it later, produced better results in terms of understanding the content to a greater depth. 

 

So take a break! Allow your mind to rest on occasion and allow yourself to part from those ever so dear textbooks.