This is probably one of the worse times to write a blog post. Exam season is starting for me. My first PROPER (repeat PROPER) GCSE exam is next week which is the one everyone, in my Spanish class, knows I’m going to fail; it’s Spanish speaking. It’s an occurring giggle in my Spanish class that I can’t pronounce anything right in Spanish; I’ve been described (by my mate, Foster) to have Spanish Speaking Dyslexia. Spanish Speaking Dyslexia sounds like a jumble itself to say but to be frankly clear, it’s pretty much true. I’m fairly good at Spanish reading and writing but when it comes to speaking it, I’m utter shite. Whenever I have to speak Spanish, which again is entertainment for my classmates, I sounds like a drunk Dutch man who has a stutter who is trying to do an impression of Gino D’Acampo. However, my Spanish Speaking Dyslexia isn’t what I’m here to talk about today; it’s exam stress.
Now, you guys know me pretty well for a blogger but if you’re new, you can gather from my previous posts that I’m STRESSING out. Of course, it’s natural to be stressed about exams; everyone is but if you add anxiety on top of it, you have a lovely delicious blend of anxious, crying, stressing and depressed mess. I know a lot of my fellow bloggers and readers too have anxiety and also, have those big exams coming up. But for a moment, swipe your textbooks aways and get a cuppa of tea and sit down with me. You lucky things.
I too have a cup of tea but this wasn’t easily made this morning. Saturday mornings, for me now, aren’t a pleasure of me staying in bed and watching Jane the Virgin anymore. The new exam anxiety driven Saturday mornings consist of me with my head pushed up against the pillows, wanting to suffocate myself (a bit of an overreaction) and then, crying that I haven’t got up at an earlier time to start learning my Macbeth quotes. This morning, it started with me just strolling through Instagram panicking about how everyone has their life in order while I can’t simply get out of bed and make a cup of tea. I then caught myself and my streaming eyes in my mirror and thought ‘girl, I look like a stupid wreck who needs to stop giving a shit’ but that’s easier said than done. However, I pulled myself out of bed and got into the shower while I shaved literally everywhere which didn’t need to be shaved so I could avoid doing revision. Now, everywhere is itching. Although, now, I have a cup of tea so everything is good.
We, as a generation, need to understand that exams are only a small fraction of our lives. When I’m a little old lady, I will remember the exam halls as a small annoying ex which had no significance in myself as a small little old lady. But, I will remember my exam days as a good run with hard work being put into it but nothing in the short term but a feeling of achievement and happiness that it’s over. Although, this crap bit of advice which I just made it in head that probably doesn’t any sense to you guys, I find it hard to understand it in most situations. One situation being the other day, at 1AM, that if I didn’t put my psychology mock paper in my school bag it means I would a detention which meant
I wouldn’t get my lunch break which meant
I wouldn’t get the time I needed for brain rest which meant
I would get home and not have the energy to do 4 hours of revision because I didn’t get that small 20 minute break which meant
I would be behind my revision timetable which meant
I would have to catch up which meant
I would have to cram everything in which meant
I wouldn’t have time to do revise other things as there isn’t enough time to do that in 2 weeks before my exams which means
I would FAIL my exams which means
I would be poor and never be able to afford a family which means I would be living with Pete (if you don’t remember him; he’s that 50 year that proposed to me) which means
I would be even more shitty in later life which would result in a unfulfilled life.
Yeah, it’s irrational thought but that’s what happens in my head all through the day about little things. So, at 1AM, I spent half an hour in the dark trying to find my psychology paper under the massive bundle of other worksheets and crap. However, if I didn’t find the exam paper, it’s most likely that my psychology teacher would let me go to lunch because she knows that I’m bundle of stress and anxiety.
However, that’s the reality of my everyday life at the moment. But we need to keep optimistic; imagine if I didn’t have a therapist. What stage would I be at the moment.
Although, this blog post was meant to make all of us feel better and more reassured so I have 3 tips and tricks for anxiety during exam period:
- Don’t overwork yourself. Give yourself a certain amount to do that day. I do 4 hours a day but once a week, have a day off.
- Make sure when you do have time off, stay off social media. I find that I get more self conscious and hate myself more during exams
- If you have anxiety or any other worries, make sure to talk to someone about it. It can be your friend, a teacher, a school counsellor, a local GP or a parent. Get help and don’t feel ashamed.
I’m still working on myself and my anxiety so I can’t really give tips at the moment. However, my email is always open for a chat (hideawaygirlblog@gmail.com) or you can hit up in the DMs in my twitter. Anyways, I don’t know when I’m going to be back on here again as I do have to get revision done but most likely, I will be back around the 16th June. I wish you all the luck in your exams and if you’re not doing exams, I’m super jealous of you but I hope you have a lovely couple of weeks. I miss you guys already π¦
Astrid X
My sister is also giver her first PROPER PROPER GCSE exam tomorrow and shes freaking out! good luck to both!! Im free until next year…
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Make the most of it while you can π X
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Good luck π!!!!!!!!!! My cousin who Iβm quite close to did her VCEs (we are in Australia) last year and she was super stressed, in full on revision mode, but she doesnβt regret any of it. She did amazingly, and you will too. Thanks for taking time out of your revision to write us a post! Rhi xxx
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Aw thank you so much! x
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My sister is also doing exams this year, and I still have some time. Don’t overwork yourself because we both know it won’t help… I know that you will pass and I believe in you. It will pay off in the end, I promise! I wish you the best of luck β€
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Aw thank you do much X Good luck to your sister too! x
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Thank you! (on her behalf)
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Uughhh everyone’s being there with exam and the anxiety it brings, trust me I’ve had my fair share too. Totally unnecessary advice; but I always try to do something that calms me down before the exam starts which could be listening to Tyler the creator ‘s album!β₯οΈ
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I love Tyler the Creator,such a cool artist! I’ll try that out, music is always key to anti stress π x
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This really helped!! Thank you!!
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No problem! Glad it helped π x
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Hey! This is awesome! It helped me so much. I’m also a teenage blogger who makes up her own short stories and publishes them! It would mean the world to me if you checked out my latest story and maybe dropped a like? But thank you so much, i love this post! x π
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Hey! I love your post. It helped me deal with anxiety when an exam comes up! So thank you! I’m also a teenage blogger who makes up short stories of all genres and posts them. It would mean the world to me if you checked out my latest story and maybe dropped a like? π
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This post is great, I have just finished most of my first set of exams and they were so stressful! Thankyou for this brilliant blog post! If you want you can cheak out my blog at theordinaryoutcast.blogspot.co.uk.
S
xxx
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My parents and I made an agreement where I get to use all my electronics during the exam season, as long as I get a particular grade or better. If I don’t, they get to confiscate all my gadgets. That keeps me going because I don’t want that to happen xD. Good luck, Astrid!
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Thank you very much! I hope you are able to keep your gadgets, keep up the good work π
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They are nearly over – WELL DONE! Just think of the lovely summer you are going to have π
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Cannot wait! Only six exams to go π
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Hang on in there, not long now π
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Hi there! I’ve nominated you for the Social Media blog tag! It would be great if you check it out and post π https://cutebutawkward.wordpress.com/2018/06/09/the-social-media-blog-tag/
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Hi Astrid!!! Try not to get too stressed!! Recently I have had so much going on, Iβve had a lot of anxiety. I really enjoy your blog, please check out my blog, I only just started!! ππ
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I get anxious when I think about my future exams. Like the ones where I don’t even know the date yet. The sort of situation where I started school 5 days ago. And I get scared about these exams because I haven’t studied for them (duh) and because I can’t study for them yet und just ugh…. WHY I don’t even care that much though
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My advice would just study a little a day but keep going over info so it just stays in your head. Also don’t worry about exams, it’s good to be calm but also feel movitated to do well in them π
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