It’s a common situation for students to prepare meticulously for an exam, yet the overwhelming stress on the day can lead to freezing up. These mind blanks can cost us precious time, make us forget important content and derail our concentration for the rest of the exam time.

But don’t worry – there is nothing wrong with feeling a little overwhelmed – it happens to the best of us, and the most important thing is knowing how to best recover from it whilst saving as many minutes as we can!

There are many things to consider. Firstly, take a deep breathe. An effective way to calm yourself down is the box breathing method. Breathe in on the count of 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, slowly release for 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds. It doesn’t need to be 4 seconds, but make sure you it’s consistent as this regulation process lowers blood pressure. It acts as a physical reset button for our body’s nerves and thoughts, helping us regain our concentration.

Secondly, consider the wellbeing technique of naming 1-2-3 things. What is one thing you can physically feel/touch? Two things you can hear? Three things you can see? Name them. Dont’t overthink, this should be immediate reflexes and should only take roughly 5 seconds. This can also help ease your mind right before the exam before a mind blank even starts or when you’re nervously waiting for door to open into the exam hall or sitting down waiting for the clock to begin. It”@ a great way to ground your nerves.

Thirdly, have confidence. Remind yourself that you already did all the hard work and the results of one exam does not define your intelligence, just a reflection of how you can apply the knowledge you’ve learnt in this very moment. Remember one mark is never going to be the end of the world and everytging will be okay as long as you do your best!

Lastly, to prevent the likelihood freezing up in the first place, it’s best is to practise simulating these wellbeing exam techniques at home or with a tutor. Practising wellbeing techniques in mock exams and in a safe environment is crucial to being able to reproduce them and positive self talk in a stressful exam situation!

Anna Ho