Organise your fortnight or so off from school or university so not to overbook your calendar! You don’t want to waste all your holidays trying to keep up with your plans. Remember that you are allowed to reject an invitation if you feel that it will affect your mental health.

Buy your presents early to avoid last-minute panic!

Making sure you get the perfect present is a stressful activity and this could take time! Get your shopping done at least a week earlier than the event and remember that vouchers are a thing if you’re not sure what to buy!  

Maybe skip that extra serving?

That extra plate of nanna’s pasta or that panettone may look tempting now but overeating will make you feel drowsy and more prone to a bad mood. Many end up regretting their decision so avoid that by respecting your stomach’s boundaries, sticking your guns, and say no if you’re full!

Go easy at that open bar…

Christmas is a time to celebrate and make merry! But how can you do that with that massive hangover? Try moderating your alcohol intake these holidays to make memories and remember them! Also, not only does drinking too much have negative side-effects on your body but it also tends to make you more impulsive – causing you to do or say things you might regret when you’re sober.

Get enough sleep!

Going out and staying up late may seem like part of the fun of the holidays but studies show that sticking to a healthy 6-9 hours of sleep will make you feel more energised and hence happier and productive this December.

Log off and tune in…

As cheesy as this sounds, your presence is the best present you can give to your loved ones, so make sure to give your time to those around you! Grand gestures are not necessary, just listening to someone and small acts of kindness go a long way! Christmas is after all a time to bond and one should take this time to spend it with the ones you love.

Be your own gift

All this sudden social interaction might be a little overwhelming for some of us and so it is important to leave some time in our schedule to reset and relax! Read a book or watch a movie, take a walk outside or go shopping for yourself! Whatever makes you feel safe and happy!

Find time to study!

Yes! This goes without saying that although Christmas is a time for celebration, exams and assignments are just around the corner… No need to despair as long as you reserve some hours a day to revising and working on your studies.

Did the thought of exams freak you out a little just now? If your stomach just dropped and heart skipped a beat at the thought of the pressure that lies ahead, fear not! Betapsi is organising the perfect workshop for you!

Join us at Take Off’s Events Room on Friday 14th December at noon for an interactive chance to learn how to handle your exam stress that can hinder your performance on the day, and turn it into productive motivation for success!

The post How to stay sane this Christmas season | Betapsi appeared first on The Third Eye.

We’ve all been there. We’ve all done them. However, exams remain a most challenging and nerve racking experience for most of us. So how do we surmount these nagging mountains of stress?

When not in excess, anxiety can actually help our body prepare for a fight and flight response which is needed to improve our performance. The threshold varies depending on our own individual self. Moreover, there is usually only a fine line separating the “good anxiety” from the “bad anxiety”. The latter can make us swirl into a spiral of poor concentration, loss of control over our thoughts and concomitantly make us underperform.

Here I offer you a few tips on how to deal with stress related anxiety in preparation to fight these monsters.

Preparation

Ideally, start preparing yourself as early as possible during your semester or scholastic year. Preparation is key to keeping in mind that you’ve already learnt the stuff! Procrastination might not leave you enough time for revision and this may peak your anxiety. On the other hand, if time is limited draw up a schedule and divide the workload accordingly for each day of studying you have available.

Get organised

Panic can predominate if your material and notes are all over the place. Being organized and having everything in order can reduce the anxiety to a considerable level. Having easy access to the material you have to study can greatly ease your way through the preparatory phase.

Take breaks

Overdoing it is not the solution. The brain has a limit as to how much new information can be consolidated in a span of time. Frequent and short breaks such as watching some tv or even better exercising can give a break to those neurons which are constantly working overtime.

Eating and sleeping

Adequate rest is crucial. Your mind and body need enough sleep to be able to function and focus properly. Also, as much as it might sound cliché, but ‘we are what we eat’. So yes, choosing clean and nutritive food will boost your mental functioning and optimize your executive abilities.

The night before

Do not overdo it the night before an exam. Being in a calm state is ideal in such situations so do take time off and seek an adequate bed time prior to the big day. One may choose to choose to relax the night before by taking a warm bath, go for a walk or practice some mindfulness. There are plenty of guided mindfulness exercises and meditation one can use off Youtube.

Finally, take a deep breath and go for it ! Remember that exams are there for a big part of our life and the sooner one learns to cope with these anxiety provoking situations the greater the likelihood of a positive outcome. Goodluck!

This article was submitted as part of the public awareness campaign “Serraħ il-Menti”, aimed at providing the public with accessible and reliable information on mental health.

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The post Reducing Exam Related Anxiety appeared first on The Third Eye.