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How to Cope with IB Exam Stress: Complete Guide

How to Cope with IB Exam Stress: Complete Guide

3 min read | Lanterna Team | January 27, 2026

Cope with IB exam stress using expert tips for preparation, handling panic during the test, and post-exam reflection. Get practical advice and revision tips.

Exam stress sucks. Excuse the bluntness, but as I tested different openers, no words rang as true as those. It sucks. Coping with it starts before you even feel it. However, before we get into all that, allow me to paint a picture to remind you just how bad it can be.

You’re sitting at the desk with your exam number, staring at the clock ticking tirelessly. The test papers thud against your table. You leaf through the seemingly infinite pages. They brim with terrifying questions and your pulse increases. Suddenly, you feel like a fist-sized ball of brass besieges your stomach. Your clenching chest reminds you that you’ve neglected to breathe. Breathe, you tell yourself. Breathe! Sweat trickles down your back, and that brass ball in your gut starts glowing red-hot. You recognise the questions, but why can’t you remember the answers? The sound of your peers’ pens scribbling on paper painfully highlights your paralysis. You revised this yesterday. The clock is ticking too fast. Wait, when did you last breathe? Breathe!

Whew… that sucked. Now that we have felt how painful it was to imagine that scenario, what can we do so that we never have to live it?

Dealing with Exam Stress Starts Before the Exam

As always, prevention is better than cure. Under preparation is likely the chief cause of exam stress. Unfortunately, the only way around this is by starting ahead of time. Having a tutor is a great way to keep yourself on track and accountable. We offer high-quality tuition and guidance from tutors who know how to help you through things like these.

The cause is, however, only sometimes due to tardiness. Sometimes, you have prepared all you could and are still blank when it counts. In that case, the cause that needs addressing is most likely unrelated to the content. You may be under a lot of pressure, either from yourself or external sources. Perhaps you feel like you have to do well. In that case, it is only natural that your brain enters a fight-or-flight state as it perceives the exam as a threat to your safety. Remind yourself that no matter how this exam goes, life goes on. Even if you depend on high grades for uni admissions, I promise you that life will go on even if you don’t get those grades.

If you feel that this exam stress is genuinely debilitating, I strongly encourage you to talk with someone about it. Friends, family, or even professionals can be great resources—use them!

Coping with Exam Stress in the Moment

Okay, but what if you are in that situation where you’re about to blank on your test? What can you do when sitting an exam and your exam stress is getting to you? Take a moment to stop. Block out the noise of other people writing for a second, and breathe. Breathe in, acknowledge your stress, acknowledge how your body feels, and exhale. Don’t try to judge the sensation, don’t try to stop it. Just recognise that it’s there. Do that for a few breaths.

Now that you have accepted your state, you can start with a question you know the answer to. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simple one-mark question. Don’t get bogged down on the questions that trigger this stress response; get back to them when you have done all the easy questions.

Take every question one small step at a time, and don’t be intimidated that you cannot see the big picture right as you start a question. It might come once you get going, it might not, and that’s okay.

Post-Exam Lessons to Learn

Once you have completed your exam, you have a unique opportunity for growth. Take a second to reflect on how it went, what went wrong, and why. You should also acknowledge what went right, so you don’t lose track of the fact that there are plenty of things which you rock at! Exams are incredibly instructive moments, especially mocks, so take them as just that! Now you know what to do for the next exam. You should be proud of yourself for learning, especially if it’s from what might feel like a defeat.

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Exam stress is a common experience where the pressure of an exam can trigger a "fight-or-flight" response, making it hard to think clearly or recall information. It can feel debilitating because your brain perceives the exam as a threat, leading to physical symptoms like a racing heart or difficulty breathing, and mental blocks.

Prevention is key. The best way is thorough preparation and consistent study, which builds confidence. Starting early, having a structured study plan, and maintaining accountability can significantly reduce pre-exam anxiety. Lanterna tutors can help you build this strong foundation.

If stress hits during an exam, take a moment to pause. Block out distractions, focus on your breath, and acknowledge the feeling without judgment. Then, start with a question you know you can answer, even a simple one, to build momentum and regain composure before tackling harder problems.

"Blanking out" often happens when intense pressure or fear triggers your brain's fight-or-flight response, temporarily hindering access to memories. It's not necessarily about lack of knowledge but rather the emotional state interfering with recall. Reminding yourself that life goes on regardless of the outcome can help alleviate this pressure.

Yes, it's very normal. The IB Diploma is rigorous, and the stakes for university admissions can feel high. This pressure, whether self-imposed or external, can contribute significantly to exam stress. It's important to acknowledge these feelings and develop coping strategies, and our Student Success Experts can help you explore these.

Reflecting after an exam, especially mocks, is a valuable learning opportunity. Consider what went well and what didn't, and why. This helps you identify areas for improvement in your study habits or coping strategies, turning potential setbacks into lessons for future success.

Lanterna supports students by addressing a key cause of stress: under-preparation. Our expert tutors provide structured guidance, help you build strong foundational knowledge, and teach effective study techniques, ensuring you feel confident and accountable. This proactive approach significantly reduces exam-related anxiety across all IB subjects, both SL and HL.

The Lanterna IB consultation is a free, no-pressure 20-30 minute session with an IB Student Success Expert. It's designed to help you (or your child) get clarity on your current situation, discuss challenges like exam stress, and walk away with a personalised plan for what to focus on next.

Yes, the consultation is completely free, and there is absolutely no obligation to book tutoring. Our goal is to provide valuable guidance and a clear plan to help you succeed in the IB, regardless of whether you choose to continue with our services. It's a risk-free way to gain clarity and confidence.

Our Student Success Experts are highly experienced IB graduates and educators who understand the challenges of the IB Diploma. They can help you identify the root causes of your exam stress, offer proven strategies for managing it, and guide you toward resources—including our expert tutors—who can provide tailored academic support and a personalised study plan.

Absolutely. Many of our 600+ tutors scored 40+ in the IB, have extensive teaching experience, or are former examiners. They excel at helping students develop effective study routines, time management skills, and subject-specific strategies that build confidence and significantly reduce exam-related stress. This support is available globally, online.


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