Wishing everyone a successful end of Semester. In the post I gently nudge you in the direction of some exam-specific resources as well as briefly discuss the idea of a useful distraction.
I don’t mean to alarm you, but exams are coming up.
That doesn’t mean you necessarily have exams. It depends on topic and degree. But if you aren’t sure, it might be worth checking.
If you are looking for a little bit of healthy distraction as you revise, you might find our Exams Series worth a read.
I started that series back in 2017, basically when I first started my job here at Flinders. It is made up of a series of articles on different exam-related topics. Probably no surprise there, given its title.
I got AI to read the whole series and here is how it summed it up:
“The “Preparing for Exams” series is an eight‑part set of posts that guides students through exam prep by addressing both the academic and psychological aspects of studying. It covers managing anxiety and stress, evidence‑based study methods, recognising and avoiding common traps, taming unhelpful thoughts, embracing failure, improving memory, using exam wrappers for reflection, and applying psychological tools such as cognitive distancing and self‑compassion”.
It sounds way more impressive than it actually is.
But it might be a useful distraction? What do I mean by a ‘useful distraction’?
It is something that takes your mind of the task at hand (i.e. revising) but in doing so, potentially provides something of value when you return to the task.
For example, here are a set of basic ideas (taken from the series) that you could distract yourself by thinking about for a while but then take to your next study session.
- Use active recall and self‑testing. Instead of re‑reading notes, cover the material and try to recall main ideas or solve practice questions; flashcards and past exam questions work well. Cognitive scientists note that retrieval practice, elaboration, interleaving and dual coding produce better learning than mere re‑reading, and research suggests that each active strategy can improve exam performance by 2–3 %.
- Brain‑dump and plan. When you feel overwhelmed, write down everything on your mind and then turn that list into a short action plan or schedule. This clears mental clutter and helps you identify the next mini‑task [editors note: I find that doing a brain dump into AI really helps because it generally does a decent job of summarising and ordering it].
- Use the 30‑minute rule. To break inertia, commit to just 30 minutes of focused writing or studying, then decide whether to continue; short bursts often trigger motivation.
- Signpost your next step. Before ending a session, jot down what you’ll tackle next. This “sign‑posting” makes it easier to resume study without wasting time wondering where to start.
- Take mini‑breaks to reset your focus. Short “non‑sleep deep rest” practices such as a few minutes of breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation or yoga nidra, can calm the nervous system and rejuvenate concentration. Search out guided rest practices on YouTube but resist disappearing down a YouTube rabbit hole 🐇
- Notice and defuse unhelpful thoughts. If anxiety or negative self‑talk arises (e.g., “I’m going to fail”), acknowledge the thought, thank it for showing up and redirect your attention back to studying; or challenge it by asking evidence‑based questions (“Am I catastrophising? What proof do I have?”). The idea here is that it’s common to experience negative self-talk when taking on a challenge. You don’t have to believe everything your mind conjures up.
- Use the STOP technique when distracted. When tempted to do something else, Slow down (breathe), Take note of your thoughts and feelings, Open up to them without judgement, and then Pursue your values by choosing the study task.
- Keep study sessions fun and focused. Pair learning with positive emotions by quizzing a friend or linking concepts to interesting facts, and minimise multitasking or phone notifications, which can impair memory.
Other useful distractions are activities that rejuvenate body or mind. Perhaps it is a healthy meal, a walk around the block, a phone call with a friend, an interaction with a pet. They take our minds off the study for a while, replenish our energy levels, so when we return to the task at hand, we’ve got a little extra pep in the step. I just took a useful distraction by taking a few plant photos and sending them to my mum.
Even reading this post might have been a useful distraction!
Advice aside, please accept my well wishes as you enter into the business end of the Semester. Be kind to yourself and others.
See you on the other side!
G