Nervous about your final assessments? Find some calm with these tips
The end-of unit assessment (EoUA) period can be one of the most stressful times of the trimester, with many students often feeling pressure to achieve high marks or meet personal or family expectations.
The EoUA period runs from Monday 7 to Friday 18 October 2024, so make sure you understand the requirements for your units and see our recent tips on how to prepare.
Once you’re familiar with the academic side of things, you may still need to keep any nerves under control. We are here to help! Try these tips to relax your mind and get ready to tackle your final assessments.
Keep your body active, not just your brain
If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed by stress, or unable to focus after hours of reading, exercise is one of the simplest things you can do to stay mentally sharp.
Exercise can release dopamine, a neurotransmitter which boosts your mood and helps you focus, while simultaneously relieving bodily tension and keeping cortisol and adrenaline – your stress hormones – under control.
Even 15 to 30 minutes of exercise is useful. Get outside for some fresh air and a stroll, do some simple stretches away from your desk, or check out DeakinACTIVE‘s latest offerings.
Positivity is powerful
Putting pressure on yourself to achieve a certain grade is a big contributor to stress and anxiety, so try to keep your thoughts positive. While exam situations can seem daunting, it can be helpful to remind yourself that these assessments are not designed to trick you or catch you out! Try to remain confident in your ability and use your EoUA as an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge.
Even if you’re feeling underprepared, negative self-talk like, ‘My life will be ruined if I fail’ won’t help. If you find your head is filled with negative thoughts, discover how to reframe this self-talk.
Be kind to yourself
While it’s easy to cast aside other activities when EoUAs are looming, it’s important to still make time for the things you love. Prioritising other areas of your life, in a balanced way with your study, will allow you to be your best, energised and most happy self, so that you can complete your final assessments in the most effective way.
Take regular breaks to connect with others and socialise, or maybe even try a new activity or revamp your study area for an easy way to freshen your mindset! The DeakinWELLBEING app has some great suggestions to help you if you don’t know where to start.
Be mindful and just breathe
Deep breathing is a simple and extremely effective way to help you feel calm and manage stress and anxiety. Try taking a few deep breaths whenever you begin to notice your stress levels rising, such as while you’re studying or as you wait to jump online for your exam.
To slow down your breathing, inhale to the count of four and exhale to the count of six. When you lengthen your exhalations to be longer than your inhalations, your body begins to switch on your parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn will calm you down. Focusing on something as simple as breathing helps to quieten those racing thoughts by acting as a temporary and soothing distraction. There’s lots of mindfulness apps available – such as DeakinWELLBEING or Smiling Mind – or you could try these Mindfulness exercises.
Talk with someone
While these strategies can help you to manage stress during assessment time, if anxiety is an ongoing challenge please confide in a family member, friend or counsellor about how you’re feeling. Seeking support will remind you that you’re not alone and may lighten some of that pressure.
Our Counselling and Psychological Support (CAPS) team offers free and confidential support to Deakin students located in Australia from highly skilled psychologists and social workers. You can book counselling appointments via our online system (see GIFT City details). We also have specialist counsellors available for First Nations, School of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Health and Social Development, and School of Medicine students.
You may also find Ask Counselling helpful. This online resource provides advice on a range of university-related issues – you can either browse existing questions and answers or post your own anonymous question for a personalised reply.
Remember the DeakinWELLBEING app is always available to you, and includes interactive tools, videos and podcasts that can enhance relaxation, focus, energy, mood and productivity in minutes.
Best of luck with your final assessments!