Before you know it, Reading Week will soon come to greet us with its arms wide open.
Caffeine consumption increases, textbooks are stacked high, pens are scribbling, highlighters are running out of ink and; printed statutes and notes are getting tattoos all over. People are sighing over the rhythmic keyboard tapping sounds and murmurs of discussions can be heard. The ritual of preparing for the upcoming exams has begun.
Preparing for an exam can be really stressful and exhausting but you don’t have to sell your soul to the bell curve god to beat that bell curve. Here are a few tips to keep you feeling balanced, healthy, recharged and ready to continue hitting your books and face the exams:
1. Feed yourself, and do it well.
Preparing for the exams is not a period for you to starve yourself, nor is it a period for you to stuff yourself. Ensure that you get your proper meals (a hungry person is a cranky person and, a cranky person just doesn’t go well with those lengthy cases of yours). Keep hydrated and eat foods such as citrus fruits, berries, dried fruits (cranberries and apricots) and nuts to help your body to reduce stress. With the flu bug going around, do consume oranges and pumpkin or sunflower seeds — they are loaded with Vitamin C and Zinc: great ammo to boost your immune system and prevent you from catching a dreaded cold during the exams.
Now, who doesn’t want a fruit rainbow?
2. Love music.
All the music lovers out there will understand when I say that a good song can make your entire day. When you feel like you’ve read enough or, when you feel like you don’t understand anything that you’re reading anymore — put your earphones/headphones on, find ‘your’ song and blast it. You’ll feel so much better after that and much more ready to continue to tackle those tough topics.
3. Get moving.
Sitting down for long hours can get really boring. Furthermore, your mind’s ability to stay sharp and focused will decrease with inactivity. Why not pump up your energy with a little bit of exercise? Sure, you could do your usual walks and jogs, but how about something more interesting? Like taking up a ‘smashing’ new sport — you have a few options here: there is always table tennis in the Student Lounge, a punching bag in the Gym; you can round up a few friends for badminton/tennis/squash (and the like) or; your Wii console works too!
Another method: get your groove on. There are only two types of people in this world: those who can dance and those who can dance really well. Everyone has an inner Mick Jagger. Go on – find a few friends to dance crazily with (a club venue is optional) or if you are shy: find a secluded corner and impress yourself with your moves. You may feel a bit embarrassed or awkward but you’ll feel much lighter and stress-free!
4. Strength in numbers.
You deserve a break after all that work — why not go out for a while with friends who are in the same boat? Go to a nice café, have a breakfast session, watch a good movie or just chill with a good friend or your better half for an hour – Whatever works for you. Breaking away from your solitude will make you feel less stressed and maintain balance during this overwhelming period. If all else fails, your family members are always there!
5. Hang out with a furry friend.
Love animals or have a pet at home? Why not share a bit of your time with them and get instant stress relief? If you have a pet, play with them for 15 minutes or take them (and yourself) out for a nice walk. No pets? Find a friend who has one or watch a cat/dog video on YouTube – I’m joking. No furry friend? Find a good friend, or bunch of friends, and do tip Number 4!
Great company who won’t nag at you about law-related stuff
6. Get some sun.
The study room, library or your own room are great places to study but you shouldn’t stay cooped up in those places for too long. Give yourself a much needed dose of Vitamin D and enjoy the sunlight. Those rays are therapeutic (though I advise you not to be in the sun from 12 noon to about 3 pm) and can really refresh your mind, to give you that extra drive to finish reading those last cases. For those who study in school, the Botanic Gardens is at your disposal (that hill elevation is going to get your blood pumping!) so make full use of it!
Soak up those rays!
The above list is not meant to be exhaustive — do add on to this list by leaving a comment. Who knows — you just might be helping out a frazzled soul! Keep calm and mug stress-free everybody!
Article by: Azilah Azini (Year 2)
Photography taken from: Pinterest.com
