Here’s how to successfully survive the January exam season as a Liverpool student

We’ve all been there – fretting the night before an important test day at uni because despite the Christmas break, you couldn’t seem to find any motivation (or time) to revise for your exams in January. You’re running purely on energy drinks from the Guild shop and the last remnants of the festive leftovers you got sent back to Liverpool with, and you feel as if your academic demise is finally upon you.

There’s no foolproof way to get yourself through the January exam period as a student deprived of sunlight, human connection and fat frogs from The Raz, but you can only pray that this year will be better than the last. Here are some tips to help you survive exam season as best you can.

Stay at home for as long as possible

Make the most of your mum’s comfort cooking and a stacked fridge full of Christmas leftovers for as long as you can – only if you can mentally prepare yourself to stay at home with your siblings and extended family for any longer than you need to.

All that food will give you much needed brain power for these exams, and you can put the heating on as much as you like without being in more debt with your student landlord. Bonus points if you have emotional support pets waiting for you too. 

Try out new study spaces

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Are you sick of bumping into everyone you know in the Sydney Jones Library and becoming distracted? You and me both. Try out some new study spaces that haven’t been discovered by your first year situationship yet, and enter your true academic era by romanticising your revision sessions.

My favourite is the Picton Reading room in the Liverpool Central Library – the decor gives very dark academia vibes and it’s dead quiet in there too. If the library isn’t for you, then there’s plenty of gorgeous coffee shops around Liverpool – 92 degrees is always a fan favourite, but perhaps you want to try somewhere new. Grab a friend and head down to Lark Lane together for a study date, and there’s plenty of pubs that you can have a celebratory pint at when your done!

Set goals and reward yourself

It’s important to be realistic when planning your revision. Set some attainable goals, such as revising one specific topic, test yourself and then reward yourself with a sweet treat from the Brownlow Hill Greggs afterwards. You could make this a bit more extreme and only allow yourself to go to the pub with your mates if you finish a certain amount of revision. It sounds drastic, but sometimes the only method that works.

Take breaks

Don’t wear yourself out and take as many breaks as you need to avoid exhaustion. Change up your scenery and go for a walk around Sefton Park to come back to your work with a fresh mind, or go and terrorise your housemates in the kitchen for an hour and complain about your exam dates as much as you can.

Keep your body moving

It’s easy to forget when you’re in panic mode, but getting some exercise with regulate your nervous system and release endorphins which will make you feel good – or as good as you can possibly be during exam season. It’s also super important for sleep, which if you’re anything like me, you will find difficult with stress during exam season.

Go for a jog a few hours before you get into bed. It does wonders! Fuelling your body with knowledge and information mentally wears you out, so switching up your routine to tire your body out before settling down makes a huge difference – and stops your mind from racing too. As long as you’re getting some good meals in alongside a walk or workout, you’re guaranteed to be surviving and thriving.

Meal prep to avoid struggle meals

Whilst we’re on the topic of food, when you do return back to the promised lands of university, try and get a food shop out of your parents if they are driving you back to your student house. Meal prep some easy freezer meals that you can store and have on days when you’re too busy revising to think about anything other than getting into bed with a takeaway.

It’s important to eat well during exam season so you don’t burn out – don’t do what I did last year and end up eating the weirdest struggle meals. Food is fuel when it comes to boosting those last bits of brain power you’ve got rattling around up there, and there are only so many £2 paninis you can buy from Open Door before you start to go a bit crazy.

Try your best not to panic

It’s much easier said than done, I know, but the worst thing you can do is work yourself up when it comes to sitting your exams. Try and make a simple revision plan and stick to it. With a plan, everything is laid out in front of you, meaning you won’t forget anything.

If you are starting to panic, reach out to friends, family or student support officers at your university – they are there to help you and trust me, you’re not the only one feeling this way during exam season.

Be kind to yourself

Perhaps you didn’t get as much done as you thought you would, or feel less confident on a certain topic than you were expecting during your revision sessions. Don’t worry about it – it’s okay!

Stay kind to yourself and don’t punish yourself for what you have or haven’t completed. It will only make things worse. Go and socialise with your housemates and let your hair down for a few hours, you’ve got this in the end.

Good luck and happy revising!