Managing Stress During Final Exams

By Shelby Gilmer

It’s that time of year again – when the library becomes your second home, caffeine becomes your best friend, and many, many law students become acquainted with high stress and anxiety. You guessed it: it is exam season.

This is my third exam season, and as I look back on my first exam season, I did practically everything wrong. No, not in my studying, but in the way I let the stress of exams control my life. I studied all day, every day, making no time for myself. Law school’s practical reality is that exams require daily hard work for many hours, but that should never mean sacrificing your mental health and overall well-being.

Over the past year, I have shifted gears and learned that there are myriad ways you can manage the stress of law school. These are just a few of them:

Get Organized

During exam season, it seems like there are a million things to do – outlining, taking practice exams, making flashcards, etc. There is nothing more overwhelming than having all of these “to-dos” racing through your mind with no sense of how you will possibly get them all done. It can seem like you don’t have time to slow down and get organized, but taking an hour to sit down and schedule out, for example, when you will take each practice exam, can immediately remove some stress from your life because you know exactly what to do and when to do it.

In addition to organizing your exam prep, take the time to schedule in the things that keep you sane – your hobbies, an evening with your friends, or a brunch with a significant other. It may seem like you cannot spend a single second doing anything other than studying, but if you strategically plan out an hour or two here or there, I promise you can pull it off and your mind and body will thank you.

Don’t Neglect Your Health

When you are working long hours, that can often lead to making excuses for why you cannot take care of your physical health. You might pick up fast food again because you don’t have time to cook. You might stay up late and wake up early to fit in everything you want to get done. And forget about exercise – there is certainly no time for that. However, it does not take a scientist to know that good sleep, a healthy diet, and exercise actually increase productivity and focus.

It would be disingenuous for me to say that it is easy to remain in tip-top shape during exam season, but there are little things you can do to keep your physical health from crashing entirely. For example, keep a water bottle next to your coffee, so while you are drinking caffeine, you are also staying hydrated. Take a quick 15 to 30-minute exercise break during your afternoon slump (you know the one – 3 p.m., I’m looking at you). And consider meal prepping or, at the minimum, picking up some frozen dinners that are at least a little healthier than fast food. All these things are small changes that will make a big difference.

Reach Out If You Need Help

There are two prongs to this piece of advice: getting help for academic success and getting help for your emotional well-being.

For the first, office hours are your best friend over these next few weeks. Talk to your professors about concepts you don’t understand and swallow your pride if you have to bring something up from the first two weeks of class that you should probably know by now (been there, done that). Reach out to older students who have taken the class before and who can aid you with outlines, practice questions, and general advice on taking the exam. There is nothing more stressful than continuously battling a concept you don’t understand all by yourself – reach out, learn it, and move on.

For the second prong, remember that you do not have to tackle this difficult season alone. 1Ls and 2Ls, make sure to talk to students above you because they have already been through it and are living proof that you will be fine. Just hearing that you will pass your classes and make it through law school can motivate and encourage you immensely. Beyond speaking to older students, consider reaching out to a professional, such as a school counselor or outside therapist. Sometimes you just need to talk to someone outside of the law school bubble to help manage your stress. There is nothing wrong with a little extra help to guide you through this challenging season and provide additional advice on coping with stress and anxiety.

Finally, remember to have grace with yourself and that this will not last forever. Get through exams, and then take some time to rest!