How I Survived and Thrived Through Exam Week

As many of my clients know, I just finished one of the toughest intellectual weeks of my life. I am glad to tell you that I have passed all my exams required for me to become an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner – yay! 

To give you some perspective, Osteopathy school is tough and also cumulative. That means that everything and anything that we were taught over the last 5 years of school – the theory, the science, the manual practice – is examined during this week. In fact, there is no way that we could possibly pass our exams without already understanding and practicing the wisdom that we have learned over the past 5 years. It is just too much content to cram into a brain right before the exam.

And this is how it should be! As an Osteopathic Practitioner I need you to trust my knowledge and experience. The high standard I have been held to is there for a reason. 

I had to develop habits over the past 5 years to learn and deeply understand all the complex information so that I was well prepared for my 5th year finals week, for my clinicals following, and for my life as an Osteopathic Practitioner. These habits came in handy when I was in the final sprint. I hope that the tips I share today will help you through a tough week, whether for exams, a major work project, or any other crazy week you have in the future. These were my keystones – the habits that I used to survive and thrive through my journey. 

Proper Nutrition

Your body cannot work at its optimum without proper fuel. So, over the past month as I was getting closer to my exams, I made sure that I got all my nutrition necessary to thrive. The biggest resource you have in these stressful weeks is your time and energy. You want your brain and body functioning at its optimum, and also not spend too much time making food so that it is taking away from your study time. My most important life hack was my super vitamin smoothies I had in the morning. I filled them with vitamins like vitamin C and D3 to support my immune system (which helps keep you healthy), vitamin B-complex, zinc, and ashwagandha to support my endocrine system (which is in charge of your stress response), and omega-3s and L-theanine for my brain health. I also avoided alcohol and caffeine because although they feel like they are helping in the moment, the after effects of a foggy brain and an increased stress response was not worth it for me. If I needed a brain boost, I stuck with dark chocolate, which is full of antioxidants – yum! 

Proper Sleep and Scheduled Rest

When you are running on a deadline it is easy to sacrifice your sleep and rest time. One thing that I needed to learn over the years is that your brain uses a lot of energy when studying. If you try to stick to 5-hour study blocks, you will fatigue out. Most people know that 8-hours of sleep is optimal, but somehow, we forget about all the other needed rest time. I cut my studying into 2-hour blocks and take at least a 20-minute break in between to go outside and walk my dog, make myself a cup of tea, and relax. The goal in your study breaks is to completely get your mind off of your work. That way you can get back to it with fresh eyes. 

Something else I have learned about myself is that I never study in the evenings. I’ll do something completely different like watch a funny TV show or read a book. Now, this works for me because I am a natural morning person, so my brain works at half-mast in the evenings. I can be way more productive if I take that time off and start with fresh eyes in the morning. However, some people perform their best at night so make sure to schedule your rest time for your low-ebb time in the day. If you perform well at night, try taking a break in the morning. See what works best for you.

A Great Support System

When you are trying to achieve something big, it is important to tell everyone around you beforehand what you are trying to do so that you create a powerful support system. For me, I told my partner, my family, and my team at Core Potentials that this was going to be a hard year for me, and the support that I received from them all was inconceivably helpful. Little things like having a dinner made for me or help with cleaning was sometimes the most important thing I needed for the day. I also created a powerful study group with a few of my classmates. This allowed me to have a sense of camaraderie as we advanced towards finals. This support system is really what got me through this year more than anything. I am so grateful for all the help I received. 

Stress Management

My mantra for the year was “Don’t Stress, just do your Best.” In fact, I even got a mug from Target with this quote printed on it to help me through the rough times. I had to keep reminding myself – “If I fail, it isn’t the end of the world. It just means I need more time to absorb the material and I will push through the next time.” That thought really helped me. My stress management routine was another incredibly important aspect of my health, surviving and thriving through this year. I stuck to four stress-reducing habits including daily meditation (at least 5 deep long breaths, but sometimes up to an hour of quiet sitting), daily sweat (to boost my brain power and lower anxiety by bringing serotonin to the front of my brain), NO overworking (by getting better at saying “no” so I had the time to recharge), and ALWAYS taking Sundays off (to recoup for the next week). All these habits made me better as a practitioner and as a student. 

On game day, go in with the goal to GIVE

This last habit I learned over the weekend by Phillipe Druelle, the director of the college and amazing Osteopath in Montreal. If you go into an exam with the idea that you are being judged, your stress will rise and your ability to think will decrease dramatically. However, if you go in with the goal to give something, the opposite happens. This was such an amazing tip right before the exams. In fact, this phenomenon has been shown before by the HeartMath Institute. In their lab they showed that a combination of deep breathing, heart centering, and feeling the emotions of gratitude, calm, compassion, and care is a recipe to allow you to access higher brain wave states. Approach your next exam, work project, or life challenge with the intention that you want to give and you will be surprised by your results. 

Incorporate some or all of these habits with your next big project and you will experience success.

Good luck!

With love,

Britte