How to Avoid Total Burnout During Online Exam Season
If you’re like me, then you’re probably deep in online classes and exams right now. Between work, accelerated degrees and all these proctored exams it is way too easy to hit the wall hard. That happened to me last semester. I was so stressed, barely sleeping and my grades started slipping even though I was putting in the work. The exam pressure and the proctoring software requirements just made everything worse.
I learnt the hard way...this time round, I’m not taking chances. These are the tips from my experience and what I have seen other students post here on Reddit. Enjoy!
- Break study sessions into shorter chunks instead of long cramming marathons. I know it’s hard to actually implement this but even 25-30 minutes focused work very day makes a big difference.
- ·Protect your sleep like it is part of your GPA. I started aiming for at least 7 hours no matter what and it helped my focus way more than extra late night studying.
- Move your body a little every day. A quick walk or even stretching between study blocks clears your head and reduces that burned out feeling.
- Prep your exam environment ahead of time. Check your camera, internet and room setup the day before so you are not panicking right before the proctored test.
- Use active recall instead of just rereading notes. Quiz yourself or explain concepts out loud. It is more efficient and less draining.
- Take real days off when you can. One full rest day a week helped me come back stronger instead of slowly fading.
- Talk to people about the stress. Whether it is friends in the same program or online communities, knowing you are not alone makes it easier to keep going.
If you are juggling a lot right now these small tips can make a real difference especially during heavy exam seasons. Has anyone else been dealing with major burnout? What tips have helped you?