Indeed, this is what makes revising so difficult. There is almost a sense of guilt if they find themselves doing anything else. Over the years I have seen many young people who feel that the exam season is a time for two things: taking exams and revising for them. If they haven’t been reading their Bibles, it will be like water to parched soil so will be essential nutrients for them.ĥ. It will help them get a little Bible nourishment, give them something to reflect and pray on, as well as giving them the Word of God to take with them into their exams. Send the occasional Bible verse to them to encourage them to keep going. Being part of their exam season is important for sharing life together and for building community amongst the group. Send a message to celebrate when a week of exams are over and especially when they are all finished. It reminds them that they are not alone and that there are people who love them and understand what they are going through. This will help remind them to keep God as their main perspective.Ī quick message to say that you are praying for them and you hope the exam goes well can go down so well with the students. You might like to compile an exam timetable for all your young people and then share them out so that the group are encouraged to pray for each other. By doing this we model leaning on Jesus and walking with him. Ask God to help them remember all they have learnt in the years leading up to the exams and to help them write clearly and to give their best.
This is something useful and practical we can do. Show you care by requesting a copy of their exam timetable and then promise to pray for them on the days they have exams. Help them realise that God is with them always, even in the examination room, so to walk with him through these months, not to ignore him. We need to gently help young people remember this by asking them how they are staying in relationship with him through this busy season, encouraging them to keep reading the Bible each day and to attend church and youth group each week. God should always be the most important part of our lives.
But this is, of course, not how it should be. They are the most important element of the teenage life up to this point in their lives. It appears that in today’s culture we have made exams an idol. Most of our teenagers probably wouldn’t admit this out loud, but there is a genuine danger that how they live their lives would reflect this attitude. I was speaking to a youth worker yesterday who told me how one young person she knows said to her that he was going to ‘put God on hold’ for a couple of months while he focuses on his exams. So how do we as youth leaders help young people cope with the demands of GCSEs and A levels? Here are 5 ways which anyone can help young people not just survive the exam period, but to thrive. Whilst exams are an important part of the summer term for teenagers, they don’t have to be held as the most important. It’s also a time where attendance at our youth meetings can fluctuate with the assumption, “they must have exams”. A time where the only thing teenagers seem to talk about is revision and the pressure of sitting exams.
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