How to reduce an ACCA Exam Day Stress?
The day of an ACCA exam is always one of the most stressful day’s students go through.
We prepare for weeks and weeks to finally sit down and test our knowledge and understanding hoping to impress the examiner enough to score the 50 points mark.
That’s all it takes!
50 points!
But only those that sat those exams know this too well- IT’S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE!
50 point is almost as hard to get as it is to climb Kilimanjaro Mountain
But as many have proven already- it is doable.
Around 35 000 people try to reach this 5895 meters, high giant, every year, yet only 40% actually gets to the summit.
Very strange how this aligns with ACCA exams pass rates (especially professional lever papers)
Did you know that around 10 deaths every year are reported, yet three times more is believed to have died climbing the giant? Let’s not go there comparing it to ACCA mountain alright 😉
Anyway let’s get to the point and discuss the very important matter here:
How to reduce ACCA Exam Day Stress?
I remember the feeling I had in my stomach every single time I had gone to sit my exams. From the minute I woke up to the time I got back home from the exam the Stress Point was at its peak.
Even the night before I could not get to fall asleep until late and the night was never as restful as I wish it was.
But over the years I have mastered one thing- the better I was prepared, the less stressed I felt.
So here are the top 10 tips on how to reduce and ACCA Exam Day Stress and be at your best capacity:
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Have a good night sleep.
The good day can only begin with a good rest. Hence before any big day, it’s important to get quality rest.
The amount of hours you need to sleep in order to have sufficient rest varies for everyone and depends on the factors like age, lifestyle and how long it takes you to fall asleep. You can read more about it on Sleep.org website.
I have mentioned above that it was really difficult for me to fall asleep the night before the exam but I made sure I was in bed early enough to have the 8 hours of rest I need to feel rested.
When you feel tired it is harder to stay focus and “dig out” the information from your brain. Studying till very late in hope to learn just one thing more might actually mean you won’t be able to pull out more important knowledge as you won’t be well-rested and fully focused.
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Eat good healthy breakfast.
Feeding yourself well, slow-releasing energy food will ensure you stay sharp and focused during the exam rather than feeling hungry. The time of the exam plus the setup time is 3,5 to 4,5 hours which is a fairly long time without anything to eat as food is not permitted at the exam hall.
I wouldn’t recommend having a very heavy breakfast such as fry-up as this might make you feel sluggish and that’s not a good feeling (especially when you want to avoid using toilet too often)
Stick to something healthy in the morning like a Weetabix or porridge with fruit or smoothie even. Follow with a healthy snack like nuts or fruit just before entering the exam hall. This should give you enough energy to last for the duration of the exam.
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Keep hydrated.
Drink water before, during and after the exam (and throughout the whole day).
Water is the best option to keep hydrated and refreshed. When the stress is at the pick, your heart pumps up faster, the adrenaline kicks in and you begin to sweat more, losing more water than in a normal, none stressed circumstances. So this needs to be replaced, best by drinking water.
Just make sure you sip it rather than having huge amounts at once as this will make you want to go to the toilet which can be rather annoying and destructing during the exam.
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Plan your trip in advance.
Whether you are planning to drive, cycle, take a train, use a bus or just walk, always plan your journey at least a day before the exam. Being aware of how long it would take you to get to the exam centre will help you plan the time you should leave the house.
Also early in the morning of the exam use google maps or smartphone just to check if there are any unexpected road works that can course a delay in your journey.
If you are going to drive, make sure you have enough fuel- might be an obvious point but worth mentioning.
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Ensure you have everything you will need in the exam hall before leaving the house.
The examination attendance docket- print it a few days before the exam, read the T&C’s, sign it and prepare to take it with you.
ID- passport, driving licence or national ID must be presented to prove that your Identity matches the docket.
Black ballpoint pen– this is the only type of pen acceptable and I suggest you take at least 2 in case one runs out.
Calculator– if taking the exam that requires some calculations, take one with you, no matter how good you are at calculating things in your head, it gets really time pressured in the exam hall and you will want to use it.
A watch or a little clock– this will help you to keep an eye on the time, as the once in the exam hall might be at the side or back of your sit which will be uncomfortable to look at.
Purse or wallet- just in case you need to buy a travel card, fuel, or even a bottle of water.
Prepare it all the day before and have it ready to take with you to the exam hall.
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Arrive at the exam hall at least half an hour before the exam time.
I was always aiming for 45 minutes just in case something would delay me on the way to the exam centre.
The worse thing you can do is to get late to the exam. Not only you lose the valuable time/ points, you also disturb others and put massive pressure on yourself. There is no more stress needed here- it is already at its peak.
Allow enough time so that you get there nice and early. The exam hall always opens about 15 minutes before the exam start time so you can find your seat, make yourself comfortable and also fill in the examination answer booklet with your details before the exam starts.
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Find a friendly face.
If you see someone sitting waiting like you for the exam to begin, it is nice to join in and just start the conversation.
Look around for a friendly looking face and ask if you can join the table and start a chat. Exchange ideas on what might come up (if you both are sitting the same exam) or just general how far they are on the ACCA journey.
It’s always interesting to heat likeminded people’s stories. You never know, you can make a good friend or a study buddy.
I have actually met a girl once who is now a very good friend of mine. Talking to people might ease your stress and just relax you a little before the very stressful exam. “Every little help” (Tesco got it all figured out for us ;-)).
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Leave your notes in the bag.
Once the invigilators let you in the exam hall- make sure you leave all of your notes, books or flashcards in the bagging area.
Do not keep any papers other than the examination attendance docket and your ID on you. Not in the pockets or under your desk. This is written in the T&C’s and it is treated very seriously if —-even by mistake- you have any kind of notes.
I have seen once a student being asked to empty their pocket halfway through the exam. They had some folded paper and after a short inspection, the invigilator has asked the person to leave the desk and escorted them to the exit. The consequence of such a mistake is being taken off the student’s register. There are no excuses and mistakes are not tolerated in the ACCA environment.
Invigilators walk around all the time ensuring no one is gaining an unfair advantage in the exam.
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Watch the time.
When the exam starts, do not forget you only have 3 (or 4) hours per exam plus the 15 minutes allowed for reading which you can use to write if you wish. I would recommend to go through a first major question and just annotate as you read in this 15 minutes time. There is no time to read the question over and over again, so start with the requirement before reading the scenario.
What I would also recommend at the very beginning is to write down the time (in you question book) at which you want to finish each question, then break down the time allowed for each sub-requirement. Stick to it! Don’t keep writing when you run out of time (unless it’s a minute or two). You are risking losing more easily accessible points from other questions.
You must attempt all of the questions to maximise your chance of passing, so time management is super important and it’s worth practising before sitting the exam.
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Believe in yourself, stay positive and do your best!
You have spent hours preparing for this day. No matter how well you feel prepared, stay positive and write everything you know.
Even if this is a resit- you actually have an advantage as your first exam was like a MOC test and you have done it already. You should have taken on board what you have not done so great. Was it the time management that let you down (scores close to 50) or not enough knowledge (scores below 40-ish)? Learn from the examiner report what the major mistakes are and take it on board. You can read my previous post on How to keep motivated after the exam failure?
Remember to explain everything clearly as if you were talking to your potential clients to demonstrate that you understand the subject.
Never assume the examiner will know acronyms or definition. Try to use professional language. Get into the scenario as if you were the manager, senior or director (as per requirement) and put your business hut and think- what would you do in such situations? Apply your knowledge to the scenario. Trust your instinct a little.
The marker can sens from all these little hints if you really understand the subject and if you show the skills required to become a qualified accountant.
All you need is 50 points!
Catch the easy marks first, then tackle the harder ones.
All you can do is try your best.
After the exam
It is all done now and you cannot change anything so there’s no point going through your answers panicking that have not written enough. The results were nearly always a surprise to me and many times where I felt I have not done enough, I had a good pass mark and vice versa. So just relax for a week or two, take a little break from studying and start again. If this was your last exam, just wait and see, you might have just done enough.
Links to my previous posts that you might find helpful:
ACCA study resources for UK students.
6 tips on how to study having kids.
8 Most essential tools for a professional student.
Please let me know if you would like me to go through any particular issues relating to ACCA.
I wish you all very best of luck in your next exam.
Thank you
