Whether these are your first, or last exams, it鈥檚 always good to have some guidance. We asked Patrick Leonard and Sam Rose, from Cambridge University Students' Union, for advice at this critical time. Welfare Officer Sam starts by saying 鈥渋t鈥檚 quite important to have a plan of some sort鈥, whilst Academic Affairs man Patrick is swift to point out 鈥測ou鈥檝e already done a lot of work鈥. If a year鈥檚 lecture notes seem that bit too daunting, Patrick suggests finding out 鈥渁s much as you can about the exams鈥 including 鈥渨hat questions you鈥檒l have to answer鈥. With the stakes raised, it鈥檚 more important than ever to 鈥渇ocus on your own work and your own style of learning鈥. Wearing his welfare hat, Sam says 鈥測ou can see people working these crazy hours, getting into really irregular eating and sleeping patterns, but in the long term this is going to have really negative effects on your work. So long as people keep a sensible pattern of work and don鈥檛 stress out, exams are a very simple thing鈥.
 | | The uni library rarely looks so imposing |
That鈥檚 easy to say鈥ut what if you are 鈥榮tressing out鈥? Mark Phippen, Head of the University Counselling Service, says 鈥渞ight before exams they tend to seem like the most important thing in the world; but a couple of years later they are just a line on your CV鈥. He says 鈥渋f you are avoiding work or getting very stressed, it鈥檚 almost certainly time to seek some help鈥. Cambridge University Counselling service has produced a comprehensive guide to exams which can be accessed by the links on the right. Their advice includes doing something 鈥渄ifferent鈥 from study, such as physical exercise. Or maybe, as Patrick suggests, you should 鈥渇ind a way to remind yourself there鈥檚 more to you than then exams you鈥檙e doing鈥. Whatever, come summer, you鈥檒l probably be wondering what all the fuss was about! | 
