Community Officer Blog

Exam city, population: you

Happy New Year, welcome back, welcome to exam season *Urgh*.

Understandably, this can be one of the most stressful periods of the year so it is vitally important to look after yourselves. It can be tempting to put all your effort into exams, essays and projects, however, you are MORE important than your grades. Ultimately looking after your own welfare will benefit you, and your performance in the long run.

Trust me, I’ve been there and trying to reduce stress around exam time can be a difficult task, especially for those who don’t cope so well under pressure or have stresses in other parts of their life. By identifying the underlying cause of your stress, you may be able to take steps to reduce it in order to improve your concentration on your work during the exam period

We are aiming to remind you to look after yourself and let you know that we are here to help by running what is known as Stress Free Campus (disclaimer: Stress Free Campus cannot actually make campus stress-free). Below are a few simple ‘life hacks’ to help you survive this difficult time.

1) Seek support!

The SU’s Advice and Support Centre offers confidential advice and support. Our Advisors can help you on a huge variety of topics so make the most of seeking support if you need it.

If you have an issue affecting your academic performance, do think about submitting an Individual Mitigating Circumstance report (IMC).

IMC reports must be submitted within 3 days of your assessment, so it’s vital that you submit your report on time. The SU’s Advice and Support Centre can:

• Help you decide whether to submit an IMC
• Talk you through the process of submitting an IMC
• Help you put together an IMC statement and evidence

You can talk to The SU’s Advice and Support Centre, in confidence, by phone (01225 38 6906), email (suadvice@bath.ac.uk) or in person (drop in Mondays – Thursdays 9am – 5pm,  Fridays 10am – 5pm). There are also two designated drop-in sessions at The Virgil Building, 2-4pm, on Thursday 18^th January and Thursday 25^th January.

2) Get a good night’s sleep

This is often underestimated but is so important for maintaining concentration and motivation.

Tossing and turning? Struggling to sleep? Nightline are here to listen, 8pm – 8am. Phone, email or instant message for confidential and anonymous support. Talk through anything that’s on your mind – no issue is too big or too small.

3) Eat healthy snacks and stay hydrated

It is so tempting and easy to live off crisps, sweets and chocolate when basically living in the library (my poison was teeth and lips) but please note that making time to cook proper meals, prepare some healthy snacks and sort out a bottle of water will be time well-spent.

Pick up some freebies outside The SU’s Advice and Support Centre at the following times:

4) Find the right working environment for you

The library isn’t for everyone - find what works for you. I personally find I work best with a group of friends in a café or social space- that way you can keep an eye on each other!

The University has a handy list of on- and off-campus study spaces.

5) Take regular breaks 

Listen to your brain. If you are struggling to carry on and feel like you are going nowhere, it is much more beneficial to put down the pen, shut down the laptop lid and have a break. Whether it is going for a walk, socialising with some friends or just sleeping, taking a break is important and will hopefully increase your productivity when you go back to it. Also, (and I know this is hard) try not to feel guilty while taking these breaks, don’t give yourself a hard-time because we aren’t built to work non-stop.

• Unwind with one of our free films in The Tub: Disney theme Wednesday 17^th Jan 7.30pm and superhero theme Wednesday 24^th Jan 7.30pm. Free popcorn and no sign-up needed – just drop in.
• Let your hair down (sigh) at Laser Fusion – Saturday 20^th January – only £5 with transport to- and from-Bristol included.

6) Exercise regularly

It can be difficult to find time to exercise in general, let alone in the middle of a 2-week, hummus-fuelled, cramming sesh but we have done the hard bit for you.  

Drop in to one of these free Bath Active sessions. No sign up, experience, or fancy sports gear needed:

In summary, there is plenty you can do to look after yourself over the next couple of weeks and please do check out what The SU is doing to help minimise stress and provide opportunities to relax. If you do need any help, don’t forget we provide free, confidential and independent advice from level 2 of The SU and Student Services can also help over in 4 West.

I wish you all the best of luck and see you on the other side for Refresh Week.