With people comparing whose exams end first, or how many hours of revision they’re doing per day, exam season is a lot. Tensions are running high: the phrase ‘lock in’ is infecting everyone’s vocabulary, people are fighting like animals in the jungle for a seat in the library, and competing over which degrees have it worst. Managing the stressful atmosphere fostered by the Cambridge academic lifestyle can prove difficult, especially finding motivation and recharging after a long day of work.

Last week, the beautiful weather got us all sunbathing, frolicking in Grantchester, having picnics, and more wholesome activities. When the sun is shining it’s so easy to convince yourself it’s summertime and forget the pressures of exams. But personally, I really struggled with the guilt of not getting anything done, feeling as though I’d done nothing to deserve such wholesome days, and regretting my C Sunday activities on Monday morning. Dealing with this guilt is difficult, especially as it leads to drastic decisions like ‘I’m never going out again’ or simply a resigned sigh and ‘I’m cooked’. However, it is important to remember that taking a break is healthy, and helps your brain unwind and focus on something else, as well as helping all the content you’ve just looked at sink in properly. Finding the balance between too much and too little work can be hard, especially with emotions like guilt or imposter syndrome overwhelming the brain. But even just little moments of self-care or socialising will help you avoid going nocturnal to spend 24 hours a day in the library.

“I like to surround myself with hardcore workers who make me ashamed to check my phone every 5 minutes”

Coming up with ways to find motivation is tricky, given how many distractions are around in Cambridge, especially in more summery weather. I always find I’m more motivated when the people around me are also working, so I like to surround myself with hardcore workers who make me ashamed to check my phone every 5 minutes, or go to a popular library where the atmosphere is tangibly ‘locked in’. Outside of that, creating internal deadlines is really helpful, as it not only gets things crossed off the to-do list, but gives you a clear goal to aim for. I often make these unrealistically overachieving, like giving myself one day to finish an entire coursework essay, but breaking big tasks down and getting things done is so rewarding.

Rest and recuperation after a day of work is very important. This can come in many forms, ranging from simply taking comfort in the regularity of daily routine or bumping into friends to scheduled plans or excursions. One of my recommendations is going to Ely, about a 15-minute train away from Cambridge. I was expecting this to be a long and expensive journey, but even getting a bus to the station and back, the overall cost was only £7! What was particularly nice about this adventure was getting out of the bubble of Cambridge, as well as exploring a new city. I also recommend going on walks to give you a change of scenery, especially sneaking into other colleges’ gardens, or other green spaces you can visit without angering porters. Any of these mentally refreshing trips will give you a break and get you out of the same old spaces.

“What was particularly nice about this adventure was getting out of the bubble of Cambridge, as well as exploring a new city”

Another really important way to stay sane during exam season is sleeping. As much as we all love a midnight chat, or a night-out, or endless scrolling, the next day is always hellish, especially when it comes to dragging yourself out of bed for a 9am. Prioritising rest is something I always struggle with, but I also always regret needlessly late nights when I’m struggling to keep my eyes open in lectures or miss out on a chunk of my day because I’m taking a massive nap.

Finally, keeping the end in sight is really positive. May Week, sunshine, and having no work to do are all nearly upon us, which is such a nice focus for getting through tough times at the moment. Also, everyone’s in it together, we all understand the pressure of being a Cambridge student, so venting or asking for advice from each other can be really helpful.