Exams are over. I don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to say that. I think this exam period has marked one of the most stressful, hectic moments in my LSE life. Probably, I shouldn’t complain much when I had “only two” exams. I have relatively few compared to friends in other departments. It is because most courses I’ve taken have a 100% assessment with an essay but still! Although my energy has been pretty much distributed during previous two terms with essay writing, I would say the exam period at some point made me stressed out. Plus, since the summer term has only seven weeks, I wanted to make most of my stay in LSE and London. So, I figured out a few things – not too time-consuming – that have helped me de-stress and enjoy this city.
- Sunbathing in Parks
This might be an all-time topic you talk about with your friends in the library. From late April, London cannot be a better place to live. The weather becomes unbelievably nice – a lot of vitamin D you have been lacking since the first day of school. I think it is such a pity that we should prepare for exams when life becomes liveable. So, I thought I should not miss this chance to sit and relax in the park especially when we have Lincoln’s Inn Fields just one minute’s walk from the library. Plus, it is so tempting to drop by on the way to university and sit on a bench for a couple of minutes. So, enjoy the sun and free your mind!
- One Dedicated Meal a Day
We are all busy during the exam period. If we have to cut down on some parts of our daily routine to make more time for studying, we might end up stopping cooking and instead just having a quick bite at the entrance of the library. We don’t enjoy food any more – except for maybe chocolate? However, it is one of things that you shouldn’t dismiss. When you think about it, having one dedicated proper meal –
just once a day – would not cost you more than an hour and eating well actually makes such a huge difference in your performance both physically and mentally.
- Library Tour
The other day, I spent almost an hour finding an available seat, going up and down the stairs in the library. So I started to book a seat but then I saw one student in my seat studying so hard and concentrated that I could not tell her to leave the seat. That was when I started to look for relatively less crowded places in and outside the campus. Speaking of libraries, there are several you can try near the school one of which is the Senate House Library. Once you register with a LSE student card, you have access both to places and books. But my absolute favorite is the Victoria and Albert Museum library which is so pretty and quiet. If you don’t mind using only a pencil during studying, it is worth trying!
- I Love Coffee, I Love Tea
I’m a coffee lover. I don’t feel fully awake without sipping coffee in the morning. I wonder if it is a psychological need. Nonetheless, it helps me start the day and gives me some time to relax and think things through. I would say that, for non-smokers, coffee is a cigarette substitute and stress reliever – it is that addictive as well. It is hard to study at a café especially when you need time just for reading but it is a great place to not think about studying for a moment. Plus, when I had insomnia during the exam period, having a cup of tea before bedtime helped me to get to sleep.
- Planning for the Post-exam Period
This is the most fun part. Isn’t the exam period the time when everything apart from studying becomes so fun? So, I started to plan what I would do after the statistics exam. There are a few things that I have thought I would do but haven’t yet. One of them is to run a marathon. I googled London Marathon and found a number of marathons to choose. Although I should admit that at some point I somehow stopped working out, I thought running a marathon through London city would be a great way to wrap up the hectic schedule just behind me and feel rewarded at the finish line!
I did not add this to the list but I personally found it the most helpful to talk with friends about everything from past exams to plans after exams. It sometimes becomes so daunting just to think about how things will turn out and whether I would get a degree. But once you share your fears and thoughts with friends, you will realize that you are going through this hectic but rewarding path together with these people. For those of you who have just finished sitting exams, congratulations and enjoy this liberating moment!
