{"id":1409,"date":"2025-01-09T08:00:34","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T08:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/?p=1409"},"modified":"2024-12-18T11:10:37","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T11:10:37","slug":"preparing-for-in-person-exams-part-4-on-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/01\/09\/preparing-for-in-person-exams-part-4-on-the-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing for In-Person Exams Part 4: On The Day"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>What you do just before an exam can make a big difference to your performance and your confidence. Here are our tips for staying positive on exam days and ensuring that everything goes smoothly.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Preparing for in-person-exams: On the day\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/810532463?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>1: Know when to stop revising<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The evening before your exam, give yourself some time to unwind before going to bed. A good night\u2019s sleep will have a bigger impact on your performance than anything you try to learn now.\u00a0That said, if you don't end up sleeping well, try not to worry. We can do amazing things on very little sleep when we really need to.<\/p>\n<p>A reviving shower and a sustaining breakfast will help you feel energised for the day ahead. But go easy on caffeinated drinks: a little caffeine may help you feel more alert but too much will only make you anxious.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s useful to spend some time looking back over your notes, but don\u2019t try to cram lots of new information at the last minute. Trust in what you\u2019ve already done and can do.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>2: Plan ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Being organised is one of the great stress busters.<\/p>\n<p>The day before the exam, double-check the start time and location and go back over your exam strategy. Plan your journey and make sure you\u2019ve got something comfortable to wear.<\/p>\n<p>Check you\u2019ve got everything you need for your exam, including your library card and any required stationery, so that you\u2019re not hunting around at the last minute. Making a list in advance can help you feel reassured that you haven\u2019t forgotten anything crucial.<\/p>\n<p>Avoid taking unnecessary electronic devices and other valuables, as you won\u2019t be allowed to have these with you at your desk.<\/p>\n<p>Set out early and allow plenty of time to get to the exam venue, especially if you\u2019re not living on campus. It\u2019s much better to arrive too early than to worry about being late.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3: Be considerate of others<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Taking in-person exams means being around your course mates before, during and after the exam. While a bit of friendly camaraderie can help calm your nerves, it\u2019s also important to be mindful of other people\u2019s feelings.<\/p>\n<p>Try not to stress each other out while you\u2019re waiting to go into the exam and, of course, avoid doing anything that might annoy other people while the exam is in progress.<\/p>\n<p>After the exam is over, resist dissecting the questions in detail or speculating on how you think you did. You don\u2019t know how other people are feeling. Take some time out to relax and focus on something other than work before you tackle the next exam.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>4: Think positively<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Feeling a bit nervous before an exam is normal. In fact, we need a moderate amount of anxiety to psych ourselves up for a challenge.<\/p>\n<p>But we all need strategies to help keep exam nerves under control. Here are some ideas you could try if you notice negative or anxious thoughts creeping in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Reframe anxiety as excitement<\/strong> - Psychologists have suggested that because we respond in similar ways to anxiety and excitement, we may be able to trick our brains into mistaking one for the other. So the next time you notice yourself feeling anxious, tell yourself \u2018I feel excited\u2019. See the exam not as a threat but as an opportunity to shine<\/li>\n<li><strong>Aim for good, not perfect<\/strong> - Remind yourself that no one is expecting you to know everything or produce perfect exam answers. The exam markers know that you\u2019re working under timed conditions and they'll be assessing your work on that basis<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep things in perspective<\/strong> - One set of exams won\u2019t make or break your career or your chances of future success. But the transferable skills and strategies you\u2019re developing as you take these exams will last you a lifetime<\/li>\n<li><strong>Stay focused on what you\u2019re learning<\/strong> \u2013 about your degree subject but also about yourself<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If things don't quite go to plan, try not to be self-critical. Turn it into a positive learning experience by reflecting on what you can do to improve next time. (See <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2022\/03\/02\/moving-on-from-disappointing-results\/\">Moving on from disappointing results<\/a> for some tips.)<\/p>\n<h3>5: Define success on your own terms<\/h3>\n<p>You know better than anyone else what constitutes a meaningful achievement for you. Think about how you\u2019d complete this sentence:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u2018Whatever grades I get in these exams, I\u2019ll feel proud that I \u2026\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Remember, too, that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/professional-services\/student-support\/\">Student Support<\/a> is always available to help.<\/p>\n<p>The tennis player Arthur Ashe, who had plenty of experience of facing challenges, famously said:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u2018Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Approach your exams with this mindset and you\u2019ll come through them feeling confident that you\u2019ve done your best \u2013 and that\u2019s all any of us can do.<\/p>\n<h3>Other useful resources<\/h3>\n<p>For more tips on preparing for exams effectively, see:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/01\/06\/preparing-for-in-person-exams-part-1-revision\/\">Preparing for In-Person Exams Part 1: Revision<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/01\/07\/preparing-for-in-person-exams-part-2-mastering-multiple-choice\/\">Preparing for In-Person Exams Part 2: Mastering Multiple Choice<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/12\/08\/preparing-for-in-person-exams-part-3-maths\/\">Preparing for In-Person Exams Part 3: Maths Exams<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2022\/04\/11\/six-memory-hacks-to-supercharge-your-revision\/\">Six memory hacks to supercharge your revision<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2020\/12\/02\/top-ten-tips-for-exam-preparation\/\">Top ten tips for exam preparation<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What you do just before an exam can make a big difference to your performance and your confidence. Here are our tips for staying positive on exam days and ensuring that everything goes smoothly. 1: Know when to stop revising\u00a0...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1962,"featured_media":1410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[91,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-skills","category-exams"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2024\/12\/Preparing-for-In-Person-Exams-3.png","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":948,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2022\/12\/14\/the-night-before-christmas\/","url_meta":{"origin":1409,"position":0},"title":"The night before Christmas","author":"Kerry Vevers","date":"December 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"St Nick offers some words of wisdom ahead of the exam period in the Skills Centre's 2022 seasonal message. https:\/\/vimeo.com\/779691899 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse... Students were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Still from video displaying the words: 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...'. There's an illustration of a sleeping mouse.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2022\/12\/Twas-the-Night-Before-Christmas-800x450-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2022\/12\/Twas-the-Night-Before-Christmas-800x450-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2022\/12\/Twas-the-Night-Before-Christmas-800x450-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2022\/12\/Twas-the-Night-Before-Christmas-800x450-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1392,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/01\/06\/preparing-for-in-person-exams-part-1-revision\/","url_meta":{"origin":1409,"position":1},"title":"Preparing For In-Person Exams Part 1: Revision","author":"Kyra Ings","date":"January 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s normal to feel nervous about in-person exams, but the right approach to revision can go a long way towards helping you feel more confident. 1: Gather all the necessary information Anxiety often arises from uncertainty, so before you get started, make sure you have all the practical information you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Illustrated image of a desk with a lamp, calendar, laptop and note paper","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2024\/12\/Preparing-for-In-Person-Exams.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2024\/12\/Preparing-for-In-Person-Exams.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2024\/12\/Preparing-for-In-Person-Exams.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2024\/12\/Preparing-for-In-Person-Exams.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":806,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2022\/05\/04\/my-tips-for-exam-preparation\/","url_meta":{"origin":1409,"position":2},"title":"My tips for exam preparation","author":"Erifyli Vologianni","date":"May 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi, I\u2019m Erifyli. I\u2019m a final year International Management student and Skills Co-Creator. Here are some of my personal tips that will help you to organise and revise efficiently for the upcoming exam period. Exam period. \"That time of the year\" is approaching. People are setting revision schedules, libraries are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exams&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exams","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/exams\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lines of desks and chairs in an exam hall at university.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2022\/05\/FH-exams-2-small.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2022\/05\/FH-exams-2-small.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2022\/05\/FH-exams-2-small.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2022\/05\/FH-exams-2-small.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":724,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2021\/12\/08\/fixed-time-exams-your-questions-answered\/","url_meta":{"origin":1409,"position":3},"title":"Online fixed-time exams: your questions answered","author":"Alexandra Paramour","date":"December 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Most exams for Semester 2 2021\/22 will be online 'fixed-time' exams \u2013 short in duration, scheduled in a specific time slot and sat remotely via Inspera. Here are some questions you may have if you\u2019re taking this type of exam. Are fixed-time exams like traditional exams but online? In many\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A laptop and a phone displaying a clock","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2021\/12\/al-ghazali-Uyxkm0HJ93E-unsplash.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2021\/12\/al-ghazali-Uyxkm0HJ93E-unsplash.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2021\/12\/al-ghazali-Uyxkm0HJ93E-unsplash.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2021\/12\/al-ghazali-Uyxkm0HJ93E-unsplash.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2021\/12\/al-ghazali-Uyxkm0HJ93E-unsplash.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2021\/12\/al-ghazali-Uyxkm0HJ93E-unsplash.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":371,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2020\/12\/02\/top-tips-for-taking-open-book-exams-1-preparation\/","url_meta":{"origin":1409,"position":4},"title":"Top tips for taking open book exams 1 - preparation","author":"Kerry Vevers","date":"December 2, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"During the exam period, you may be asked to take a home-based online open book exam. Open book exams allow you to consult external sources such as textbooks and your own notes during the exam time. Here are some tips from former Academic Skills Course Leader Tom Reid to help\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Student taking an online open book exam","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/12\/online-exam.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/12\/online-exam.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/12\/online-exam.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/12\/online-exam.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/12\/online-exam.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":373,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2020\/12\/02\/top-tips-for-taking-open-book-exams-2-on-the-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":1409,"position":5},"title":"Top tips for taking open book exams 2 - on the day","author":"Kerry Vevers","date":"December 2, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"If you're taking an online open book exam, you'll need to deal with a number of challenges including maintaining focus and managing your time. This short guide by former Academic Skills Course Leader Tom Reid gives you some strategies to help you succeed in your examination. https:\/\/vimeo.com\/774802360 Tip 1 -\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Student typing on a laptop taking an online open book exam with textbooks on the desk.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/12\/online-open-book-exam.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/12\/online-open-book-exam.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/12\/online-open-book-exam.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2020\/12\/online-open-book-exam.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1962"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1409"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1409\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}