DWS: Revision and Wellbeing Tips
As part of our Don't Worry Surrey Campaign we asked our Support Committee and Part-time Student Staff to give us their top revision and wellbeing tip for exam season...
Samantha Buss
Monday 4 May
Your Support Zone Committee Part-time Officers are all students which means they need to study too!
They are dedicated to improving the wellbeing of Surrey students, so here they share their top revision and wellbeing tips to help get you through the assessment period...
Jenny's Tips
Revision:
Give yourself the time and space to breathe. Start your revision early so you can make sure to schedule in rest breaks and time for you. You’re not a robot, you can’t work endlessly. You’ll be most productive when you’re listening to what your brain and body needs - and if that’s rest, that’s okay. You need it. You’ve earned it.
Wellbeing:
Your work might feel like everything, but that doesn’t mean it has to be. Don’t let it isolate you and keep you from seeing your friends or leaving your room. Make sure to get outside and enjoy the fresh air at least once a day - even if that’s just walking to a different study space on campus. Check in with yourself: are you eating and sleeping enough? Food and rest provide the fuel you need to keep going. And remember - this won’t last forever. You’ll get through it, just like you’ve done before.
Jenny has recently launched SurreyWeekends, the plan is to bring free events every Saturday and Sunday throughout the semester, giving students an opportunity to try new things and meet new people.
You can read more about this here.
Julia's Tips
Revision:
Create a schedule for yourself. Whether that is focusing on a topic, subject, or particular assignment each day, it's my way of staying on track. I find it helps to know that you have given yourself time to do particular task.
Wellbeing:
Keep in touch with university friends. We are all going through the same/similar thing, it's better to talk to people than to isolate yourself.
Julia organised an Access to Success Panel event back in March. It featured guest speakers who shared insights into their careers, their lived experiences of disability and how this shaped their professional journeys. It was a great event with lots of engagement and great questions from attending students and staff.
You can read more about the event here.
Chris' Tips
Revision:
For me, it really helps to approach revision lecture by lecture and focus on testing myself rather than just re-reading my notes. Breaking everything down into smaller, manageable chunks makes it feel a lot less overwhelming and helps build my confidence as I go.
Wellbeing:
During exams, it’s so important to be kind to yourself and recognise that this period can feel intense and overwhelming for a lot of students. You don’t have to do everything perfectly. Taking time to pause, breathe, and reset even briefly can make a real difference.
Chris has created an online mindfulness session designed to support students during the exam period. Zenergy is all about creating a space where you can slow down, reset, and take care of your wellbeing during what can often be a stressful and intense time. Join from the comfort of your own space for a guided session focused on managing stress, improving focus, and giving yourself a proper break.
You can book your place here.
Zara's Tips
Revision:
Always take a break no matter how behind you feel, your brain always needs time to recover!
Wellbeing:
Schedule time for hobbies and things you love along with revision and plan revision out in a way that feels realistic and achievable to you (small wins always!) Exams are important, but shouldn’t mean that your life needs to be on hold.
Zara is one of our coordinators for Talk Together. This Don't Worry Surrey Talk Together invites you to join them for a Wellbeing Walk during this assessment period. This is a chance to get out of the library and away from your screens to get some well earned fresh air and connect with others.
We also asked some of our wonderful Union Part-time Student Staff to share tips:
Dasha's Tips
Revision:
Take breaks that are spent meaningfully - so for me that's continuing to play sports rather than stopping when exams come around. Keeping in contact with friends and taking lunch breaks with others, so you can catch up, feel connected and not spend all of exam season alone.
Wellbeing:
Making sure you study in an environment that isn't distracting. I keep whatever deck space I am using decluttered, and ideally have my phone and other distractions out of sight. It just makes it a lot easier to stick to what I'm doing rather than thinking of other tasks I need or want to do.
Julia's Tips
Revision:
Keep track of your workload - stay organised, have coursework and exam dates at hand and in your calendar, and make a list of the content you particularly need to focus on, so you can make the most of your time.
Wellbeing:
Keep your body moving - go for a walk, get some fresh air, stretch between study sessions, go to the gym if that's a part of your routine. Do what helps to keep your head clear and your mind and body awake and ready to learn.
Charlotte's Tips
Revision:
Take regular breaks!!! Studying hard for hours straight doesn’t achieve ultimate knowledge, it burns you out and means you don’t retain information as well, I always try to follow a 20 mins on, 5 mins off structure.
Wellbeing:
Spend time doing things you enjoy during exam period as well, I always try to dedicate half a day a week at least to playing lacrosse with my friends to make sure I’m looking after my mental health as well during such a stressful time.