Exam season is here again, and there is no doubt that exams can reveal how well you are doing and pinpoint areas where improvements are needed. Exams are also a means of accessing further education and university, but not all people are suited to a university education. There are other avenues that can be explored such as training and apprenticeships, so you should not pin all your hopes on examination grades.

The period after exams is a bit of an anti-climax. You may feel flat and exhausted. You want to know your results but realise that you have a long wait. Feelings of dread can start to sweep over you as you contemplate the possibility of failure.

This is often a difficult time and you may feel unable to cope with the delay between examination and result. You may think you have failed and cannot face the humiliation. Now is the time to confide in family and friends as they can often help you to put things into perspective.

Too much emphasis is placed on exam grades. There are so many other assets and qualities that each of us has. Even if your grades are lower than expected, you can learn from the experience. You are not a failure. There is really no point in getting good grades through cramming, cheating or guessing. If you are confident that you did your best then you have no reason to feel a failure. You are young and have your whole life ahead of you and there is plenty of time to do re-takes, look at other courses, consider training etc.

While exams are a worthwhile part of your education they are by no means the be-all and end-all. You have many other options open to you so take advantage of them while you can.

Here are a few useful tips for successful studying:

• Make a schedule – organise your time well in advance (perhaps months before)
• Set yourself goals
• Pace yourself . For every 50 minutes of study take a 5 minute break. When you return, spend 5 minutes seeing how much you can recall and jot down some notes. Now have a quick revision of the material before you go on to a new section. After 3-4 hours take a longer break. Go out and visit friends. Play some music. Take the dog for a walk. You will then feel refreshed enough to continue your studies
• Have a quiet place to study which is free from distractions. Turn the TV or radio off
• Make use of your public library for peaceful studying periods or research
• Get together with friends to test each other
• Do not try to cram in everything the week before (or even worse – the night before!)
• Above all – stick with it. Stay calm and talk to your parents and teachers about any worries you have