Prioritising your health is incredibly important while studying. It is easy to lock yourself in your room, glued to your physical optics textbook, especially during exam season. However, this can quickly lead to burnout. One day you may revise for half a module, and the next you might just stare blankly at your screen while you daydream about triple chocolate chip muffins.

To combat this, you should try and prepare in advance. Do your lectures as they come, do not stay in bed for your 9am just because the lecture is recorded. This will give you the chance to make new friends, ask people around you about the things you do not understand, and give you less things to worry about in the future. It will also allow you more time to revise in the future, and having combed over each lecture at least once, the concepts you once found difficult may seem easier considering that many lectures tend to link together, giving you the boost of confidence you needed to exceed in your exams.

For those of you who do not heed my advice, or perhaps you have just stumbled across this article later than you would have liked, if you are feeling overwhelmed, I would first recommend that you note down everything that you must do, and when to do it by. Break this down further with what you must do each day such that you stay on top of your work. The satisfaction of crossing off each task alone will give you motivation to start the next.

There are also many ways to improve productivity, for example: 

• flash cards (spaced repetition)
• mind maps
• group work
• recording and listening to yourself
• testing yourself
• teaching a colleague
• the pomodoro technique (a time management method that involves breaking work into 25-minute intervals with short breaks in between)

Still feeling stressed or anxious? That is perfectly normal, but here are a few tips to calm your nerves: 

• take a walk (you may need a change of scenery)
• talk to your friends and family (even if you just ask about the weather, speaking to people you know and trust can help)
• have a rest day (go out, enjoy yourself – but do not stay out too late!)

If this does not help, consider talking to your academic advisor, or check out the support systems your university offers. Remember, sometimes the pressure does get to you in the heat of an exam, this is natural, and it is not the end of the world. It is just another opportunity to grow, and with each setback you will be more prepared for the next!

Striking that healthy balance between work and play is just as important. Finding time to do what you must do and what you want to do can be hard, but it is important to prioritise. Compromise is often needed, but you must figure out whether you want to spend the night drinking or studying. Is the short-term gain worth long-term loss? Do what is best for you!