Congratulations - You have made it through to the end of exam week! Take some time to acknowledge and celebrate all your hard work! It is normal to still have remaining stress or be feeling emotionally drained after exam completion.
Congratulations - You have made it through to the end of exam week! Take some time to acknowledge and celebrate all your hard work! It is normal to still have remaining stress or be feeling emotionally drained after exam completion.
So, you may be wondering ‘What to do now?’. If these past few weeks have been dedicated to studying and building up to exams, it makes sense that you might be unsure how to spend your time now. Whether self-care to you means regaining energy through solo-activities or recharging your battery around others, we’ve listed some ways to recoup after the assessment season!
Bouncing Back
For the next few weeks while you await assessment results, try not to get caught up on what you should or could have done instead. Find peace in remembering you put in your best effort and that until results are posted, there is not much you can do in the meantime! The best option is to use this time to focus on treating yourself for making it through a stressful week.
Rest and Refresh: Post-exam self-care tips
Healthy self-reward habits after hard work have been associated with improved goal accomplishment and increased personal motivation, according to research. So, we have included some fun self-care tips ... Try them out alone or with friends - it’s up to you!
Firstly, you may want to rest your mind and body by simply taking a nap! Sitting and studying for exams can be very draining – sometimes, the fastest way to recoup is by taking time to recover and catching up on potentially lost sleep… This counts as self-care!
Next, consider trying mindfulness breathing practices to alleviate stress. Guided meditation can be found on YouTube or breathing exercises through apps like ‘iBreathe’, which can be a helpful first step towards mental rest. Similarly, yoga is not only a way to relax and stretch your muscles post-exams but is also a great form of exercise that is offered every week by the RH Sports Centre or can even be done via a YouTube video at home. Along with this, running is a healthy way to clear your mind and recharge. Exercise in general releases norepinephrine, aiding the brain’s stress-response, making it an ideal post-exam activity!
Finally, engaging with hobbies you love is an excellent form of self-care, now that you might finally find more time. Whether this be picking up on a project you neglected for the past few weeks or trying a totally new hobby: perhaps playing an instrument, art, sports, journalling, reading, cooking, watching films, anything you enjoy - You deserve it!
For some, being surrounded with others to celebrate is the best way to cope after exams. One idea for a fun way to spend a free day with friends after your exam week is by taking a daytrip to London or another nearby city! Take a train to explore an area you’ve perhaps never been to before. This can be a great way to treat yourself and take your mind off academics for a little bit.
Alternatively, want a way to stay home and recoup while still socialising? What better time to host a dinner party, movie night, bake-off with friends?! With the busyness of Christmas holidays and exam prep, it might have been a while since you’ve caught up!
Remember to keep an eye out for Give It A Go events run by the SU! Unwind from academic stress by trying something new… There are always plenty of exciting activities such as crafts, boardgames and even group trips!
Once again, well done for completing the first round of exams this year! Have fun, treat yourself and take time to rest. If you are still feeling overwhelmed post-exams and want to speak about it, don’t hesitate to reach out to the SU Advice Centre or University services such as the Wellbeing Team.