Preparing for exams

Exams can be stressful. They can make you panic and worry. But there are things you can do to help you prepare and make yourself feel better.

On this page

Keeping calm
Top tips to try the night before an exam
On the day of the exam
During the exam
What you can do

Keeping calm

Knowing you have an exam the next day can make things pretty stressful. You might have spent ages revising but could be nervous that you left something out. Or you might have ended up not doing as much revision as you hoped.

Don't panic. There are things you can do to help you prepare.

3 things to do before your exam:

take deep breaths
stay positive
make sure you know when and where the exam is.

Top tips to try the night before an exam

Try these tips to help prepare on the night before an exam:

Go to bed early
Getting a good night’s sleep will help you more than trying to revise all night. It’s better to make sure you’re not tired the next day
Look after yourself
Have a good, healthy meal and drink lots of water so you don’t get dehydrated or have a headache when you wake up
Re-read your notes
Don’t try and remember everything. Write down 5 things you want to remember for your exam and then leave it at that
Have a laugh
Chat to someone who makes you giggle. Watch funny clips on YouTube. Whatever it is, it’s important to laugh. It can loosen you up and make you feel a little less stressed. Which can only be a good thing
Know the details
Find out where the exam is and what time it starts. Make sure you know how to get there and what time you need to leave
Set an alarm
Make sure you wake up in good time in the morning.

On the day of the exam

This can seem like a nervous day. But the golden rule? Stay positive. All you can do is try your best. So try not to stress. Try these tips to help you on the day of an exam:

Take deep breaths
This can help you stay calm. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth
Eat a good breakfast
Before you leave home make sure that you've eaten a healthy breakfast to keep you energised
Don't be late
Give yourself plenty of time to get to the exam. It’s better to be early than late
Make sure you have what you need
Take extra pens and pencils with you. Is there anything else you need? Like a calculator, or a compass?
Stay hydrated
Bring a bottle of water with you that you can take into the exam room
Do what’s right for you
You might want to be on your own. You might want to be with a group of friends. You might want to stick some of your favourite music on your headphones. Everyone has their own way of preparing. So think about what yours is
And, remember: be positive!

Exam stress

Get advice if you're feeling stressed or worried.

Photograph of three young people sat in a park.

Coping with anxiety

Get advice on how to cope with anxiety.

Take a deep breath

Calm cloud

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take some long, deep breaths.

Breathe in and out with the cloud.

During the exam

Try these tips for staying calm and doing your best:

read the instructions on the exam paper before you start and ask if you're not sure about anything
have a look at all the questions on the exam paper before you start and plan how long to spend on each one
take a couple of seconds to breathe before you start writing anything
if there’s a choice of questions, start on the ones you know you can answer best
leave some time to read over your answers at the end
if you get stuck, move onto a question which you can answer better.