Classic FM's Revision Hour: 7 things to do after exams

14 June 2019, 15:27

There’s a sense of relief and achievement that comes with getting exams out of the way. But it sometimes comes with anxiety too. How did it go? What should you do now?

Whether you’ve finished one exam of many, or they’re all done and you’re celebrating your freedom, here’s what The Student Room advise for after your exam is over, and how to celebrate and prepare for what comes next.

Join Ellie Goulding for the final episode of Classic FM's Revision Hour on Saturday 15 July on Listen Live.

1. Only talk to other students if you want to. If you feel it went badly, don’t wallow in negative thoughts.

   When you come out of an exam, it can be really tempting to start chatting away to your friends and comparing your answers. Sometimes this can feel like torture though, making you worry and second guess yourself. If talking about an exam afterwards will calm your mind, go for it. If it doesn’t, avoid it.

   How to stop obsessing about your exam >

2. Check how you did – if you want to. If it’s going to make you feel lousy, you don’t have to.

   Every year, unofficial mark schemes appear on The Student Room so students can get an idea of how they did, how others did and what the grade boundaries might be. This is a great way to let off steam and reflect on the exam. But again, it’s not for everyone. It might be better just to look ahead to your next exam.

   How The Student Room can be your exam lifeline >

3. Learn from every exam. Look at what went well and what went badly and take your experience with you to the next exam.

   Sometimes bad exams happen where you forget something pretty crucial, feel like you’re rushing or even start to panic. This happens to every student. The most important thing to do is to learn for your bad experience so you can avoid repeating the same issues. Look for the positives too, such as the revision methods that proved to be successful. Then you’ll know to use them again.

   Revision methods that actually work >

4. Forget about it. You can’t change a thing now, so let it go.

   If an exam went well, it can give you a bit of a confidence boost to take with you into the rest of the exam season. But if it didn’t go so well, it’s best to forget about it. Rather than dwelling on it and letting it negatively impact the rest of your exams, see it as a blip and move on.

   

5. Do something nice. Give yourself a little reward for getting through an exam, have a break and recharge.

   Treat yourself to relaxed evening, your favourite meal or whatever takes your fancy. Having fun and carrying on with your hobbies in between study sessions and sitting exams is important. It gives you time to wind down and should leave you feeling more positive and ready to face the next exam.

6. Celebrate. Plan something amazing for after exams to keep you motivated and remind you that there is an end in sight.

   What are you doing to do once exams are finished? Organise it now so you have something to look forward to. Throw a party, go on a trip or simply hang out with your friends as much as you like, knowing there’s no reason to feel guilty. Once all your exams are over with, do something to celebrate your new-found freedom. Then have a well-deserved rest and chill out until you get your results.

7. Start preparing for the next stage. Once exams are out the way, it’s on to new adventures.

   Whether you’re off to college, university or something else, allow yourself to feel excited and nervous for what lies ahead. Make sure you’re mentally ready, as well as organising what you’ll need for the new academic year or whatever you’re going on to next.