¡Hola!

In today’s blog I wanted to share with you some tips to survive & hopefully excel in coursework and exams, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, personal well-being is usually hindered by the stress intrinsic to the exam period. But with the right preparation, you can come out on top!

1. Plan ahead

One of the most important things you can do is to plan ahead. Make a study schedule which is realistic, and where you have identified those activities which need the biggest efforts being invested. Your planned should include the important deadlines, exams and study periods. It is critical that you are honest to yourself with regards to how much you will be able to get done during a day. Avoid cramming at the last minute and consider periods for exercising and socials while you develop your plan! And most important of all, stick to it! But please, do not be obsessive about it. As with anything in life, there must be some degree of flexibility…

2. Review course material regularly

Reviewing course material regularly is a common technique to retain information and prepare for exams. Some students like using flashcards, study guides or other techniques such as the memory palace. Bare in mind there is no right way of reviewing course material. Try out different techniques and stick to the one which suits you best!

3. Organization is key

Staying on top of your lecture and tutorials will help reducing stress in the preparation weeks before exams and courseworks. Make sure to have all notes and documents organized and in order.

4. Time management

As mentioned during the first bullet point, prioritize tasks, and be honest with yourself in terms of how much time you can allocate to studying a certain subject during a day!

5. Preserve your well-being!

A happy mind will lead to enhanced performance. Take care of yourself. Exercise, get enough sleep, eat healthily, exercise and socialize frequently. Some people like implementing studying techniques such as POMODORO to have a systematic way of taking regular rests and breaking down study sessions. Find your way too!

The module “My Learning Development at Surrey”, which should appear on your SurreyLearn account, has outstanding material to enhance academic and professional skills, through the use of learning material and workshops. They cover a wide range of topics, such as “Time Management and Planning”, “Independent Learning”, “Referencing” or “Maths and Statistics Advice”. Do check them out!

Good luck with your deadlines! I really hope this helps!