There are few things in life more stressful than exams, and the Levaing Cert is about as bad as it gets.

If you ask almost anyone in college or beyond, they will no doubt admit that the toughest set of exams they’ve ever sat was the humble LC. 

While college exams might be more intense, at least in most cases you're choosing what you want to study, and you're being continually assessed, unlike in secondary school.

If you're one of the thousands of Irish students facing the dreaded exam paper tomorrow, here are a few handy tips to remember when you’re studying during the next two weeks.

And remember, you WILL get through this. We promise.

Do NOT study with friends

It may seem like a good idea but unless you have a strict supervisor watching over you, studying with friends is a terrible idea. You’ll have a way better time no doubt, but will most likely get nothing done. Try studying alone and then when the exams are over there will be all the time in the world for hanging out with friends.

Hide your earphones

Ask your brother or sister or a teacher to hold on to your earphones until your studying time is over. Unless there is something very specific that you need to watch a video for, the chances are you aren’t going to need them and instead will spend a scary amount of time getting lost in YouTube videos.

Ration your cups of tea

Believe it or not, this is actually necessary. If you are studying at home, or anywhere with a kettle nearby, plan how many cups of tea you are going to have and when. This may seem ridiculous but the amount of time wasted waiting for the kettle to boil is crazy (plus all those added trips to the bathroom). And speaking of rationing – avoid social media, or at least allot yourself certain times to go online. This is the biggest killer when it comes to wasting valuable study time. 

Loads of sleep

To a reasonable extent of course. By now, most of the study that needs to be done is done. Try to keep what you know fresh in your mind by having early nights before exams and not being exhausted going into them.

Get some fresh air between exams

Most of us have had the dreaded two exams back-to-back. This is where you really feel the pressure. While you understandably need to use those few minutes to cram as much information into your head as you possibly can, try to get some air at the same time. It will wake you up a bit between exams and allows you to shake off that awful "exam hall" feeling.

Don't worry – it will all be over soon!