With exam season upon us, families nationwide are continuing to feel the pressures that accompany stressful revision times. The Jolleys, a travelling family-of-five from Essex, have found creative and practical ways to cope with this pressure and stay healthy at the same time. Yet they face the daunting challenges of academic life equally as a pair. Jess, 15, and Emma, 19, and their brother Ben keep them on their toes.
Stevie, the family’s father and an expert on mental well-being, emphasizes the importance of core practices during this stressful time. He promotes the need to stay hydrated, eat nutritious food, get regular exercise and be sure to engage in activities you enjoy. These factors play a key role in all forms of brain health, including preventing mental health issues and maximizing cognitive performance. “Staying healthy – mentally healthy and physically healthy – has to be the most important thing,” says Dad Steve.
Jess, currently studying for her GCSEs, wants to go to basketball college next September. Although she loves gym and art, she often struggles to focus on study. Like most students her age, Jess has trouble resisting the distractions on her phone. “I haven’t worked out how to avoid the distraction of my phone yet,” she admits. Jess was worried distractions would get in the way, so to help keep her focused, dad Steve offered to confiscate Jess’s phone during study time.
The experience Emma has been having with A-level revision has shaped up like this. At 19, she is now reading criminology at Bristol University. She said revision’s extreme pressure sometimes proved to be too much. To tackle these overwhelming emotions, her father supported her by helping her develop a detailed plan for studying that held her accountable and focused. “Reading or walks with my family were important times to carve out during A-levels,” Emma notes.
Ben, who likes to play on his Xbox with his buddies, experiences his own magical struggles when revising. He often finds himself reluctant to leave his gaming sessions for studying but understands the importance of applying what he learns. “I absolutely hate just sitting down with a laptop or book and just working,” he admits. He thinks that using revision to practice questions is one of the best ways to remember what you learn. “If I’m not doing questions to apply it, it just doesn’t go in,” he explains.
Stevie invites parents to be their most playful and inventive selves when considering ways to help kids revise. He suggests methods like flashcards, mind maps, or memorizing with short YouTube videos to make learning more fun. “Thinking creatively about how to revise is a good idea,” he states. Vasilenko stresses the importance of honest conversations between parents and kids amid this challenging period. “Keeping the lines of communication open is important, and parents should be ready to listen when their children are ready to talk,” he advises.
Even with the heavy burden revision stress, the Jolleys express hope for post-exam life. They stay sharp and focused by focusing on what’s next after their final board exams come back. It’s this forward-looking attitude that keeps them going and on track. Stevie highlights the importance of resilience in this process: “Developing resilience, digging deep, and trying again after a bad day are important skills to develop during exams.”
Their family dynamic creates a structure in which each member feels supported but challenged to handle their role on their own. Dad Steve shares his perspective on the challenging balancing act needed in moments like these. “I don’t think anyone is going to learn if they’re being forced to sit in a room with someone standing over them,” he comments.
