Worried about Exams

Exams, like homework, are an important part of school life. They are there to see how much you can remember from your lesson and they can also highlight areas where you need to pay more attention. Studying for exams starts way before you even know you'll have a test.   Everything that you learn in school, that you take notes on or read about is preparation for your exams.

If you’re studying for exams and are worried about it you can always talk to your teacher about what’s going on or to someone you trust in the school.  It can be a good place to start to talk about what you’re worried about and if you want study tips a teacher might be able to help you out.

If you’re finding it difficult to study because you’re so worried, you might need to take a break and have a chat with someone you trust.  Exams can be really stressful, and it might help to talk it out with someone who can listen.  Childline’s always here to listen if you want to chat about exams at 1800 66 66 66.

If you feel you are having trouble with your exams, you have a right to get help. If you find difficulties happen during the exams, it can feel like you’re the only one having these problems.  There are a lot of other people studying and taking exams, it might help to join a study group.  If your school doesn’t have one, you might ask about starting one up.

A lot of students can get really stressed staying up late studying or ‘cramming’ as much information as they can before the exam. This can be very tiring and you don’t have to deal with this on your own. You always have the right to talk about what’s going on with someone you trust, a teacher, your mam or dad or anyone else you trust.

If you feel you are having difficulty learning a particular subject, it can be really tough.  You spend a lot of time at school and when you have a problem there it can affect how you feel about other things.  There are a lot of people you can ask for help and you have the right to speak to a trusted adult about any difficulties you are experiencing.

Every school is different about what kinds of supports and resources they have.  You probably have one or more teachers who are there to guide you and teach you specific subjects.  You might feel comfortable talking to your teacher about what’s going on or you might feel comfortable talking to a past teacher who you’ve gotten on well with in the past.

Your school might have a library where information is posted on study groups or peer support groups.  Some schools have student mentors that you can talk to if you’re finding things difficult and who can give you some tips.  It might help to think about where you can find out more about these things.  It’s important that you find someone you trust that you could talk with about what’s going on. You don’t have to deal with things alone, we know problems in school can seem really big and can affect all other parts of your life.

If you don’t feel like you can talk to a teacher, you might want to talk to an older brother, sister, aunt, or even your mum or dad.  It's always up to you what you want to happen, you're the one who can make the best decisions for you.