Nearly everyone has to take exams at some time in their life, and it's fair to say that nearly everyone finds it stressful. Now that the Easter holidays are over and the summer term has started, exam season is looming, and if you are taking exams this year, it's easy to let revision stress take over your life.

But although a certain amount of stress is probably a good thing to help keep you motivated, revising for exams doesn't have to be a complete nightmare.

The first thing to do is to get yourself organised. Make your study space a pleasant place to be by creating a bright and tidy area with everything you need within easy reach. It's also good to make a timetable so that you can plan your revision effectively. Work out how much time you have until the exams and split subjects into easy chunks. You don't have to tackle a whole subject all at once, and mixing them up a bit can stop you from getting bored.

Once you've got your study area organised and your time planned out, you can start getting down to the nitty-gritty of revising. It's easy to feel pressured into spending every waking hour pouring over the books, but it is important that you allow yourself to take breaks. It's a good idea to build these into your timetable from the start so at least you don't feel guilty when you take some time out for yourself. It's especially important to look after yourself while you're revising, so make sure you get enough sleep and eat good, healthy food as you'll end up low on energy and motivation if you're not feeling at your best.

When you're dealing with lots of different subjects, it can be helpful to make up flash-cards with all the main points of a topic on them. It might seem a bit long-winded at the time, but it can help you with that last minute swotting and remind you that you know your stuff after all. Looking at past exam papers can also help, as you will be able to get an idea of the kind of questions you can expect so that you don't get a complete shock on exam day.

But if you find yourself gripped by stress and panic, make sure you don't bottle it up. Talk to your tutor, family and friends as they'll be able to reassure you that you're not alone and hopefully help restore your confidence.

Finally, the best advice is to think positive. If you know that you've followed your plan and believe that you can do it, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about when the big day comes.