The assessment period can be stressful for everyone.
With the summer holidays so close by, a lot of us can begin to lack the motivation needed to get us past that final stretch. Feeling stressed and overwhelmed is completely natural. Whether you want some advice on self-managing your stress, or would rather get support from the university, this blog will tell you all your options to help get you through this period!
Manage your time.
The biggest way to decrease stress levels during assessment periods is by managing your time. Plan when you will complete each of your exams and essays, ensuring plenty of time for breaks and sleep. This will avoid you having to pull any panicked all-nighters the day before deadlines, giving you enough time to re-energise each day and have fun. With the current weather, it's the perfect time to be getting fresh air, so try to factor in time for daily walks, or even change your workspace to an outside table on campus. A balanced work/free-time timetable is so important during this assessment period to help keep you as stress-free as possible.
Evaluate your workspace.
When working on essays, evaluate your workspace. Are there any distractions around you? Do you work better in a silent room alone, or perhaps you can concentrate on your essay more when in the library with other people also working on assessments? For some, it may be better to have an equal balance, stopping you from getting restless and bored staying at the same desk all month. Try out different spaces to see which one works best for you. Try to avoid mixing workspaces with free-time spaces. When taking breaks, try stepping away from your desk, so it's easier to get back to work after your break. In the same vein, try not to write essays in bed. Mixing your sleep space with your workspace can make it hard for you to ever step away and stop thinking about work, even if your bed is comfy.
Get support.
Sometimes, the stress of assessments can be too much to manage by yourself, and that's okay! The University offers a lot of student support, whether that be one-to-one chats with a well-being advisor or group workshops to help develop your skills to deal with stress, there's something for you.
For a lot of graduates, the assessment period can be especially stressful. Not only are we tackling exams, but also attempting to find a job-ready for the summer. Maybe you've been so focused on the university you haven't even thought about the kind of job you want to get after university, which could be weighing on your mind. If you'd like to talk to someone about this, CareerCentral offers career advisor meetings. It is a very busy season, so you can choose to talk to someone for 15-45 minutes, depending on your schedule. Just having a quick chat with one of our advisors can help you make a clearer plan for your future and decrease your stress levels to focus more on your assessments. These appointments can be booked on the CareerCentral website. The CareerCentral website also offers mock interviews and CV and cover letter checking and advice to help get you ready for the job hunt.
Don't forget, the assessment period will be over soon, and once it is you'll have the whole of summer to relax. But until then, make sure to take care of yourself and your mental health.
Amy Chrysostomou, 3rd-year psychology student
Thank you Amy for this support to help students manage their stress during assessments. If you need to also focus on post-graduation, book in to the GradReady Accelerator. Spaces are limited so don't miss you out and book now!
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