Relaxing after exams

When it comes to unwinding after the exam period, a little bit of self-love goes a long way. Here’s the best was to relax after studying.

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Going through a period where you’re having to study for exams often sees your head in fifth gear. You’re up early in the morning to hit the library, with a clear plan of how you plan to tackle the day. You might feel twenty emotions between the train station and the library door as you weigh up how progress is going.
Frequently propping up your brain with energy drinks and minimalist food can become wearing, and before you know it, you’re done. The exams have been and gone and you’re out the other side, sitting in that odd purgatory between sitting your exams and getting the results back in.

The best thing to do during this time is not to worry as how you’ve done is out of your hands. As we all know, this is easier said than done. After the post exam drinking session hangover has left, it’s perfectly normal to feel a little anxious about what’s to come. Moving your brain from ‘study’ gear to ‘relax’ gear is a difficult move to make, but here’s some tips that work for me.

Get lost in a series

When you’re trying to motivate yourself to study, we all know that there’s no bigger distraction than Netflix or Amazon Prime. While it’s fairly commonplace to ‘reward’ yourself with an episode of Game of Thrones after a couple hours at the books, you now have the freedom to do some serious binge watching. The escapism that comes with watching a series can let you reduce the stress levels, and there’s plenty to lose yourself in too.

Spend time outdoors

We all know one of the worst parts about exams is the fact that they tend to come every May, which brings a good spell of weather. Drawing the curtains on a sunny day to bury your head in notes can feel thoroughly soul destroying. As humans, we need light and fresh air. Taking time to sit in the park, or even try and do a bit of hillwalking is good exercise and many believe it helps to reduce stress levels.

Catch up with friends

One part of the university experience that helps us all get through is the fact we know we’re all in the same boat. If you’re feeling worried about exams and results, take respite in knowing that you’re absolutely not the only one. The shared experience helps us cope with stress as it’s a normal thing to fell. Taking the time to chat to your classmates about the things that worry you will help you to realise it’s not the end of the world. If you can get in touch, The Mix’s very own online community is full of helpful voices too.

Properly treat yourself

Booking something in like a professional massage or a spa day before your exams come in can give you something to look forward to during studying. These kind of treats are as popular with guys as they are with girls as getting wrapped in a big dressing gown and relaxing by the pool is a sure-fire way to destress. Booking these kinds of things with a friend can help you to make a day of it as well and forget about exam woes.

Touch base with your family

Perhaps the most important thing that you can do to settle the exam jitters is to stop in and see your family, if possible. Obviously this can be geographically challenging if you’ve travelled a great distance to go to university. Maybe, like a spa, day you could consider booking time to go home after the exam period is at an end. This can give you a goal to work towards, and we all know how much parents and family enjoy visits home. Anyone on the Mix forums will tell you being at home can let you talk about stress in person with someone who is likely to have been through the same. Our parents like to act like they’ve seen and done it all. While this is true to a limited extent, it’s something to exploit.

Just getting through your exams is one thing, but switching your brain off after a sustained period of study is another. Learning to relax is an important skill to learn for any type of course at university.

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