Post-Exam Recovery

It’s DONE! Exam season is over. Punch the air, pat your back, scream tears of joy in your local car park (trust us, it’s quite therapeutic). Now, it’s time to recover. Exams can be brutal and it’s easy to get swept away in the storm of revision, anxiety and relentless pressure. The Mix has what you need to get your body and mind back up to 100%...

You’ve studied, persevered and dragged yourself through one of the most difficult periods of your life. It’s OK to feel a little drained. In fact, it’s entirely normal.

The important thing is to take the time to recover. Here are some ways to get you started:

FREEDOMMMMMMMM!

You’ve earnt it, so take the time to enjoy it. It can be easy to jump right into the next project or to keep your mind occupied after exams. After all, your brain has been going 100mph for many months.

It might feel strange to put the brakes on but that is exactly what you should do. This could be spending the day doing absolutely nothing, or even just an hour.

Give your brain a break – watch your favourite movie, blast out those tunes from your loudest and nearest available speaker, or simply just chill.

I appreciate me

Exams have a tendency to inject a lot of future thinking.

‘What if I fail?’

‘But I need these grades or I can’t get into college’

‘What if my university don’t accept me?’

‘WHERE IS MY LIFE GOING!?’

‘NFO53JS53IL34HE!!!!!!????’

Exhausting, isn’t it?

We get so lost in our future movie-making that we forget to appreciate how far we’ve truly come.

And make no mistake – you’ve come a LONG way.

Exam season is not for the faint-hearted. Regardless of the outcome, just making it through the exams is not something that everyone achieves. So if you did it, you’re a 100% certified legend.

So appreciate it. And appreciate you.

Give yourself some credit and kindness, and look back at all of those late nights, stressful moments and times of self-doubt that you’ve endured.

Reflect on your wins, whether that be:

• Making it through that gruesome maths exam and never having to pick up a compass again.
• Throwing away those textbooks that collectively weigh more than a commercial aircraft.
• Having the confidence in knowing you did the best you could with the knowledge you had at the time.

Write them down. Stick them on the wall. And never stop forgetting that there are always more positives than negatives in any situation.

You do you

You’ve spent so long thinking about essays, algebra, Shakespeare or the rise and fall of the chimney sweeping trade in post-industrial Britain that you’ve actually forgotten what you’re truly passionate about.

Whatever your passions – get reacquainted with them. They could be:

• Sport
• Writing
• Hanging out with friends
• Cycling
• Reading
• Nature
• Music
• Volunteering
• Studying more
• Movies
• Food

Yes, exams are important but they’re not your life. Now you have the time to think about and do the things that really excite you.

After all, life is here to enjoy, right?

Feelgood summer

Summer is here! It’s time to get some plans in the diary.

• Going on holiday? Make a list of what you want to see, eat and drink.
• Planning that big festival? Get learning the words to the headliners.
• Catching up with friends? Scope out some cool places and fun activities to do.
• Doing nothing? Great! Do nothing!

Whatever it is, make sure you have something to look forward to and relax your body and mind.

It’s easy to dwell on your exams after they’ve finished, especially if you feel like they didn’t go so well. However, the truth is that you can never know for sure so there’s no point worrying about them.

Focusing your attention on summer will not only take your mind off things you can’t control, but it can remind you of what the word ‘fun’ used to mean to you.

Stuck for ideas for the summer holidays? Don’t worry, The Mix has got you.

Stay tuned for a whole bunch of ideas and inspirations to get the best out of your summer, wherever you are and whatever you feel like doing.