Has the end of term got you a little stressed? Assignment deadlines and upcoming exams are probably all you can think about right now, but it’s important that you still take the time to look after yourself.
If you’re not looking after your mental and physical wellbeing, it can become more difficult to focus and find motivation to study. Stress is a natural feeling for all students, but there are always people to talk to, and strategies that can help you.
Students who ask for help, generally feel more supported and perform better academically. Things might be feeling a bit tough right now but use what you have access to as a student so you can start tackling stress head on.
Here are some resources and tips that help me get through this time of the year:
Managing your wellbeing through the end of semester & exams!
- Make sure you get involved with Stress Less week. Activities will be running across all campuses, aimed at reducing stress before exams. There are therapy dogs, a baby animal petting zoo, free lunches and much more. Keep an eye on the Stress Less week calendar.
- Change where you’re studying from. If you’ve been inside all day, go outside and study in the sun for a bit. If the weathers not great, move to a different room and the change in scenery might inspire you.
- While exams can be all consuming, make sure you still allocate time for other activities like talking to friends and family, physical fitness, and relaxation. Even a 5-minute break can be enough for your brain to refresh, reset and allow yourself to generate new ideas and more motivation.
- Depending on your location and the degree you are studying, there may be some Clubs and Societies filled with students going through similar things as you. Talking to people in your cohort can be an amazing way to find motivation and approach challenges you might have been facing in a new way.
Use FREE University resources available to students…
- As a student, you have access to heaps of support services to help you thrive through the more stressful periods. Have a look through the Student Wellbeing page for more information, tools and tips on how to manage on Exam Anxiety, Memory and Study and more!
- The Counselling and Psychological Services Team at Student Wellbeing are here to help students, even if you just need someone to talk to. You can contact them online and will just need to submit a form that takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
- If you need after hours crisis support, you can also call 1300 653 007 or text 0488 884 165. They are accessible 5pm – 9am through the week and 24 hours over the weekend or close down periods.
- If you’re worried about exams, have a look at University of Newcastle Library Guides – Exams. This guide goes through the different types of exams, how you prepare for them, tips about sitting the exam, and how you can reflect on the exam afterwards. Otherwise, you can also check out the Ultimate Exam Survival kit.
Tips on taking care of yourself and enjoying the break!
Whether you’ve got a few weeks before Trimester 2 or the Midyear Session kick off, or a longer break before Semester 2, don’t let that time just disappear into your phone. Breaks are when a lot of the good stuff happens if you use them right. Here’s what I reckon is worth doing:
- Hang out with friends and family. University can take up so much time but it’s still important to manage your social life. Catch up with that one friend who kept asking you to have a coffee, but you couldn’t because you were busy studying.
- Get outdoors. You’ve probably spent the past few weeks inside, but your body needs sunlight and vitamin D to feel amazing.
- Sleep for a full 8 hours. If you’re like me and have spent most nights with an energy drink on your desk for weeks now, use this time to catch up on some sleep. Your body will thank you later.
- Start picking up more shifts at work. You can use the time to build up your savings and buy that laptop you’ve had your eye on. Or maybe you just want to save enough so you don’t have to work as much during your next study term, whatever works for you. And if you don’t have a job, check out CareerHub for listings that might be relevant to you.
- Do anything else you have been craving or putting off. Maybe you wanted to do a short road trip along the Great Ocean Road or even travel overseas. Maybe you just want to go to some Sunday Markets and get a fresh almond croissant.
- You can also use this time to get ahead on future study. Organise notes, look at your courses on Canvas, and plan your first few weeks of study in advance. You could even look at doing a short course during the Midyear Session! Getting a headstart on the next study term can be a good way to mitigate stress later on.