The night before and the morning of an exam: a calm checklist

The night before an exam is not when marks are won. It's when they're protected: by sleeping, by not forgetting your calculator, by not arriving flustered. This checklist keeps it simple. The practical tips draw on headspace's advice for the day before and the day of an exam; the rules about what you can bring come from each state's exam authority (links below).

The night before

1. Do a short, light review, then stop. headspace's advice for the day before an exam is to skim your notes and key information, but avoid cramming. Read your one-page summary, do a few questions you know you can get right, and finish on a win. Then close the books, ideally by early evening.

2. Check the logistics. Look at your personal exam timetable from your school or exam authority (not a screenshot from a friend):

• the date, start time and venue;
• whether the start time includes reading time (in NSW, for example, NESA says the start time on your timetable is when reading time begins);
• anything you need to bring, like your exam slip or notice.

3. Pack your bag. Use the official rules for your state:

• HSC (NSW): what to bring to HSC exams
• VCE (Victoria): what to bring to VCE exams
• QCE (Queensland): what to bring to QCE exams
• SACE (South Australia): what to bring to SACE exams
• WACE (Western Australia): what to bring to WACE exams
• TASC (Tasmania): what to bring to TASC exams

Common to most: spare pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener, ruler, a clear water bottle with the label off, and an approved calculator for subjects that use one. The details really do differ by state (watches are allowed on the desk in some states and banned in others, for example), so check yours.

4. Test your calculator

Fresh batteries, or spares if your state allows them. Several authorities say flat batteries or calculator faults won't be taken into account, so it's worth two minutes tonight.

5. Plan the trip

How are you getting there, how long does it take, and what's plan B if the bus doesn't show? Aim to arrive with time to spare (see "Leave early" below).

6. Do something relaxing

headspace suggests doing something fun or relaxing to recharge. A walk, a show, dinner with your family, a shower, music. Keep the phone scrolling to a minimum; it's hard to switch off when your feed is full of people panicking about the same exam.

7. Sleep at your normal time

Not early enough to lie there staring at the ceiling, not late enough to be short. Kids Helpline says plainly: don't skip sleep to study. Set two alarms.

If you can't sleep

that's normal before a big day, and one restless night won't wreck your exam. Get up, do something boring in low light for a bit, then try again. Lying there calculating how many hours you have left makes it worse.

The morning of the exam

1. Keep your usual routine

headspace suggests having what you normally eat for breakfast. Now is not the day for a new energy drink or a giant unfamiliar meal.

2. A quick look, not a cram

If it helps you feel settled, glance at your one-page summary over breakfast. If it makes you panic, skip it. Either is fine.

3. Water and a snack for after

Bring water in a bottle your state allows, and something to eat for after the exam (food usually isn't allowed in the room).

4. Leave early

headspace suggests getting to the exam a bit early if you can and taking some time to relax. Arrival times set by the authorities include:

• HSC: at least 10 minutes early, or 30 minutes for your first English exam and the online exams;
• VCE, QCE and WACE: at least 30 minutes before the start;
• SACE: at the exam room door at least 15 minutes before the start;
• TASC: at least 15 minutes before the start (TASC's student guide web page suggests aiming for 20).

5. Do the pocket check. Before you walk in: phone, smart watch, earbuds, notes. Leave them outside or hand them in. In several states, a phone found on you in the exam can cost you your mark for that exam, or more, even if you never touched it. Some states (like NSW) let you hand banned items in before the exam starts without penalty. Use that.

6. Use the bathroom before you go in.

7. Settle your nerves. A bit of adrenaline is normal and even useful. headspace suggests doing something that helps bring your stress down, like breathing exercises, calling someone you love or listening to calming music. One simple one: breathe in slowly, then breathe out for longer than you breathed in. Repeat for a minute.

8. Skip the corridor panic. Groups outside the exam room quizzing each other on obscure details rarely help anyone. It's fine to put your headphones in, stand a little apart, or chat about anything other than the exam.

Once you sit down

• Put your equipment out, and your watch on the desk if your state requires it.
• Listen to the supervisor's instructions.
• Use reading time well: our guide to using exam reading time has a simple routine.

If something goes wrong

Woke up sick? Car broke down? Tell your school or the exam supervisor straight away, and see a doctor on the same day if you're unwell. Each state has its own process, and the evidence usually has to be collected at the time:

• HSC: illness/misadventure
• VCE: Derived Examination Score
• QCE: illness and misadventure
• SACE: derived results
• WACE: sickness/misadventure
• TASC: derived exam ratings

After the exam

headspace suggests planning something fun afterwards so you have something to look forward to. Eat, rest, and try not to pick the paper apart with friends straight away. Then reset for the next one. If nerves are building across the exam period, our guide to handling exam-week stress can help.