Exam Day Tips: What to Do Before, During, and After

The Night Before

Cramming the night before an exam is counterproductive. Your brain consolidates memories during sleep, so a solid eight hours will serve you far better than another two hours of revision. Pack your bag the evening before: pens (at least two black ink), pencils, ruler, rubber, calculator (if allowed), water bottle, and your exam timetable. Check the start time and location. If the exam is at an unfamiliar venue, plan your route and add extra travel time. Lay out comfortable clothes — exam halls can be cold, so layers are sensible.

Morning Routine

Set two alarms to be safe. Eat a proper breakfast even if you feel nervous — your brain runs on glucose, and you cannot concentrate on an empty stomach. Porridge, toast, eggs, or cereal are all good choices. Avoid excessive caffeine as it can increase anxiety and cause you to need the bathroom during the exam. Leave home with at least 30 minutes of buffer time. Arriving early lets you settle, visit the bathroom, and collect your thoughts. If classmates are panicking and reciting facts in the corridor, move away — their anxiety is contagious and not helpful.

During the Exam

When the exam starts, do not immediately begin writing. Spend the first two to three minutes reading through the entire paper. This lets your subconscious start working on later questions while you answer earlier ones. Identify how many marks each question is worth and divide your time accordingly. A 90-minute exam with 90 marks means roughly one minute per mark. A 12-mark question deserves 12 minutes, not 20.

Answer the questions you feel most confident about first. This builds momentum and ensures you bank marks before tackling harder material. For essay questions, spend one minute planning your structure before writing. A clear introduction, three to four developed points with evidence, and a conclusion will always score better than an unfocused ramble. For calculation questions, show every step of your working — examiners award method marks even when the final answer is wrong.

Staying Calm Under Pressure

If you feel panic rising, stop writing and take three slow, deep breaths. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four, breathe out for four. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system and physically reduces the stress response. Remind yourself that you have prepared, that one difficult question does not define your result, and that partial answers still earn marks. If you are stuck on a question, move on and come back to it later. Often, answering other questions triggers the memory you need.

After the Exam

Resist the urge to compare answers with friends immediately afterwards. This achieves nothing except increasing your anxiety, especially if someone gives a different answer to yours. The exam is done and you cannot change it. If you have another exam coming up, refocus your energy on that. If not, take a proper break — go for a walk, watch something enjoyable, or exercise. Your brain needs recovery time between exams just as your muscles need rest between workouts. Review your experience honestly: did your time management work? Did you read all the questions properly? Use these insights to improve for the next sitting.