Exam season can be a stressful time for students at university. If you are living in shared accommodation, it’s important to look after each other around this period and minimise factors which might add additional stress to both yours and their living environment.

Going into the summer exam period, you should consider whether your schedule is functional and realistic, if it provides time for you to focus on your wellbeing and productivity, and if it’s supportive of those around you.

Ensure that you have a clean and tidy workspace for revising to keep you on track and include frequent breaks into your schedule. If you work at a desk, organise it accordingly so that you don’t have to waste time searching for material that you may need.

Try and stand up or go for a walk every hour or so for a break, so you can come back to your work later and feel refreshed. It can also be helpful to do some physical activity to wind down from a day of studying, such as playing sport, going to the gym, or as simple as going for a walk.

Living in halls of accommodation can be challenging when there are lots of other students sharing the living spaces. You can create a better area to study and relax at home if you share your exam schedule with flatmates, so they know when to keep noise to a minimum and reduce stress for you (and likewise, you for them). Hall wardens typically send out emails during this time to notify residents to keep the volume down past 11pm, but be considerate of the actions you take if you are heading out a bit later than usual with friends.

Your nutrition is integral to getting you through exam season sustainability. There are many accessible resources for students to find recipes for during exam season, some can be found on the Student Life blog. It’s important to incorporate proper meals into your revision schedule and make the time for mindful eating when you can.

If you live at home, have a conversation with whoever you live with so they can be more mindful around your exam period. Discuss if you’d like to use shared areas, such as a lounge, dining room, or kitchen to study, so you can minimise interruptions and stay out of the way of daily activities at home. Getting your family and friends onboard with your schedule before your exams start can help you enter exam season in a relaxed way and and maintain a good balance between revision and home life. Using University facilities during this time may also be helpful, so seek out appropriate study spaces such as the Library, EHB Atrium, Wavy Top study spaces, and other areas around campus.

Regardless of your living situation, look for ways to make the best of your current conditions to ensure that you get through the exam season comfortably and healthily.

Good luck!