For many law students, exam season can be an overwhelming period filled with numerous challenges that may impact their mental health and academic performance. Therefore, students must implement effective stress management strategies and excel in their studies.

To support law students navigating this challenging period, Tom McCarthy, a final-year law student at the University of Newcastle and a finalist for Law Student of the Year at the 2023 Australian Law Awards; Kyla Rivera, a law student at UNSW who also works as a paralegal and research assistant; and Callum Donnolley, also a current law student at UNSW and a paralegal at Emerson Lewis Lawyers, share practical tips and insights that have proven invaluable throughout their studies.

Challenges law students face during exam season

Law students encounter numerous challenges throughout their academic pursuits. However, these challenges intensify during exam season, leading to increased stress levels and impacting their overall wellbeing.

Tom McCarthy highlighted that while external pressures significantly contribute to the stress of law students, a considerable amount is self-inflicted.

“While external factors such as academic expectations and social pressures undeniably contribute to this stress, much of it is often self-imposed. Many students, me included, set exceptionally high standards for themselves, striving to meet their own ambitious benchmarks for success,” McCarthy said.

He articulated how such self-imposed pressure “can be just as overwhelming as external demands, with significant implications for mental health and overall wellbeing”.

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Failing to recognise the self-inflicted pressures one places on oneself can have significant consequences. McCarthy highlighted that this not only affects “academic performance” but also has the potential to “shape students’ personal lives and future careers”.

Callum Donnolley pointed out that one of the significant challenges faced by numerous law students is the struggle to balance their demanding academic workload and work responsibilities.

“One challenge – and this is particularly so for students who live out of home – which comes around every exam season is finding the balance between work and study/exams,” Donnolley said.

During exam season, it is common for law students to overestimate their abilities and believe they can achieve everything. However, Donnolley expressed how this mindset ultimately leads to a breaking point.

“It is often all too easy to fall into the trap of overestimating your capabilities while approaching an exam and believing you can commit to study whilst maintaining your usual hours of work.

“Nine times out of 10, this results in a crisis point, usually in the week before exams, where you come to the realisation that maintaining both is not sustainable, resulting in last-minute work cancellations to prioritise study. The income lost as a result only adds to the stress of exams,” Donnolley said.

Kyla Rivera underscored the difficulty law students face in prioritising their wellbeing during exam week, often leading them to overlook their personal welfare amid the rigorous demands of their studies.

“During such a busy period, it is common for law students to neglect the most important measure against burnout – their personal wellbeing,” Rivera said.

The importance of balance

Achieving a balance between academic pursuits and personal life is essential for law students, as this equilibrium not only contributes to success during examination time but also to maintaining their overall wellbeing.

McCarthy said: “Success is often anchored in achieving balance, a psychological mechanism that helps maintain stability in times of stress and heightened anxiety.”

He expressed that achieving this balance is a highly individualised process and manifests differently for each law student, depending on the unique demands they juggle in their life.

“Striving for balance – sometimes called the ‘golden mean’ – is a nuanced and highly individualised process, especially for students juggling the competing demands of study, work, social life and rest. Balance manifests differently for everyone,” McCarthy said.

“For students, it involves three core dimensions: emotion, cognition, and behaviour. This underscores the importance of consistency – aligning personal goals with actions – alongside flexibility and wellbeing as key ingredients in a balanced life.”

By reflecting on these insights, McCarthy emphasised that he could devise a study routine that accommodated his academic commitments and provided him with the necessary time to pursue personal interests.

“These insights guided me in developing a study routine that reflects both my academic priorities and personal values. I carve out time for focused study while also ensuring space for activities I value, like competitive tennis, training, and enjoying social moments, whether it’s a coffee by the beach or a rejuvenating ocean swim,” McCarthy said.

Rivera echoed similar sentiments regarding the importance of allocating time for activities that rejuvenate herself during study sessions, highlighting how this practice has contributed to her overall academic success.

“It is vital that law students take the time to recharge by taking breaks and doing things they enjoy outside of studying. Based on my experience, I have been generally more successful in exam periods where I have taken care of myself through making time to maintain exercise and spending quality time with others,” Rivera said.

Donnolley underscored that a valuable lesson he has learnt during his years at university is the decreased productivity of his study sessions when he does not take regular breaks.

“If there is one thing I have learned from the mountains of readings over the past years, it is that studying becomes so much less productive the longer you put off a break. In my experience, I can rarely productively study more than two to three hours at a time without a break,” Donnolley said.

“Studying for two hours before and after a one-hour break is almost always more productive for me than studying for five hours straight. Breaking the monotony with an activity that takes your mind off the task at hand – any activity, be it physical exercise, reading, lunch or even a coffee – completely resets and refreshes my concentration when returning to study.”

Effective study techniques

During the exam period, law students must employ effective study techniques, as doing so can significantly improve their academic performance and help them thrive in their studies.

For McCarthy, a study technique that has been highly effective for him is spaced retrieval practice, as this method not only enhances his ability to remember information over extended periods but also makes it easier for him to recall that information during exams.

“One method that has proven particularly effective for me is spaced retrieval practice, often referred to as active recall. By consistently recalling legal principles, terms, or concepts from memory, I have found this technique significantly boosts long-term retention, making it easier to retrieve key information during exams.

“When combined with self-testing – through self-created flashcards or quizzes – this approach consistently yields positive results by promoting deeper engagement with the material,” McCarthy said.

“Another highly effective technique is interleaving, which involves alternating between different subjects or topics during study sessions. This strategy has allowed me to identify connections, similarities, and contrasts across various legal domains, enriching my understanding and fostering a more comprehensive grasp of the material.”

Rivera acknowledged that each individual may have unique study techniques that are most effective for them and their learning style. However, she personally finds active recall through practice questions the most effective method.

“Everyone will employ techniques that work best for them and how their brain works. Over the last four years of trialling different study techniques in law school, the most effective yet has been engaging in active recall through practice questions,” Rivera said.

Donnolley suggested that revisiting course material consistently throughout the term is the most effective method for retaining information during the exam period.

“Going back over content periodically, yet consistently, throughout a course is the most useful way of getting acquainted with difficult cases or complex principles,” Donnolley said.

“Ultimately, no pre-exam study is more effective than staying consistently up to date with content and readings throughout the term (which, unfortunately, is not the most helpful advice to hear right before exams!).”

Donnolley also stressed that despite the tendency for many law students to stay up late the night before an exam and cram as much information as they can, it is important to avoid this questionable study technique.

“However, cramming for an exam almost never allows me to remember everything and usually results in a last-second panic, which reduces productivity.

“If you are resigned to the pre-exam cramming – cram well before bedtime! Getting a proper night’s sleep before an exam is far more helpful than pulling an all-nighter to try to remember swathes of content,” Donnolley said.

Words of wisdom

As we approach the upcoming exam season, these law students share valuable advice to support and uplift their peers as they navigate this challenging yet conquerable period.

Donnolley emphasised that “one exam result does not define your entire degree. And it will certainly not materially impact future career prospects.”

“Don’t approach an exam on the basis that it is a competition between you and other students – the reality is that there will always be a higher mark. As long as you begin an exam with the confidence that you have prepared yourself using the entire range of course content, you will end the exam knowing that, no matter the result, you will have achieved your personal best,” Donnolley said.

Rivera said: “Be organised and intentional. Target specific areas for improvement in your studies rather than a blanket approach, and most importantly, carve out consistent time for you to take necessary breaks in between study.”

McCarthy offered advice grounded in positive psychology principles, stating: “As exam season approaches, incorporating principles from positive psychology can have a transformative impact on students.”

“Cultivating positive emotions empowers individuals to unlock their cognitive and behavioural potential, enhancing both focus and resilience in the face of academic pressures.”