Wellbeing techniques for getting through exam season
By this point in assessment season, many students are running low on energy. Long days revising, deadlines piling up, disrupted routines and constant pressure can make it difficult to properly switch off. When everything feels urgent, looking after yourself is often the first thing to disappear from the list.
But taking breaks and looking after your wellbeing is not a distraction from studying — it’s part of getting through this period sustainably. Small things can make a real difference, even during busy weeks.
Daily walks
When we get stuck in revision mode, it’s easy to spend most of the day indoors without noticing. A short walk outside can help clear your head, break up the day and improve focus when you come back to studying.
It does not have to be a big commitment. Walking to grab a coffee, going around the block, sitting in a park for twenty minutes or taking the longer route home can all help you reset a little. Sometimes simply changing your environment for a short while can make studying feel more manageable again.
Exercise
Physical movement can also help relieve stress and tension during exams and deadlines. That does not mean you need to follow an intense routine or become suddenly productive about fitness.
It could be stretching between study sessions, doing yoga in your room, going for a run, dancing around your kitchen or following a short workout video online. The important thing is giving your body and brain a chance to pause from sitting under pressure all day.
Keeping it social
Assessment season can become isolating very quickly. A lot of students end up feeling guilty for taking time away from work, even for basic social connection. But stress often feels much heavier when we deal with it alone.
Seeing friends, talking to family, sharing meals with people or even sending a quick message to check in with someone can help you feel more grounded. You do not need to “earn” rest or connection by finishing all your work first.
Eat well
When deadlines pile up, eating properly is often one of the first things to slip. It becomes easy to snack constantly, skip meals or survive on whatever feels fastest.
But eating regularly and properly can have a real impact on concentration, energy and mood. Making yourself something comforting, cooking with friends or treating yourself to your favourite takeaway after a long day can all be small ways of looking after yourself during a stressful period.
Something for the soul
When exams take over, life can start to feel very small and repetitive. Doing something enjoyable that has nothing to do with studying can help create a bit of breathing room mentally.
That might mean visiting a museum or gallery, watching a film, listening to music, reading something unrelated to your course, going to a concert or spending time somewhere in London you have never explored before. Not every moment has to be productive to be worthwhile.
Assessment season can feel intense, but it will not last forever. Try to be kind to yourself while you get through it. Rest, movement, food, connection and small moments of joy are not distractions from success — they are part of what helps people keep going.
If you need wellbeing support, please reach out to the KCLSU Wellbeing Team. You can also join Take Time Out activities across campuses.