Exam Anxiety

It's that time again: exams looming, essays or reports outstanding and you wonder where the year's gone already. You start wondering how you going to cope with it all. Fear and anxiety are insidious things and they can take hold if you don't do something about them. This amounts to a bad type of stress which is just what you don't need, especially at this time of year. This is not to say that all anxiety is bad, however. A limited amount of anxiety can help you to be more motivated and more purposeful . It can help you to plan your work and to think more clearly and logically about it. In other words, it can help you to stay on top of things. So how can you limit your stress and stay in control? There are a number of practical things you can do, even at this late stage before the exams. Don't give up hope, even if you start to feel snowballed when you think of all the work you have to do. First of all, it's essential to get yourself organized. Sit down at your desk and make a start on writing down all the things you have to do to prepare for the exams. If you feel there's too much to do, then work out priorities for your work. Outstanding assignments should take priority but make sure to leave time for revision of your lecture notes.