Exam stress isn’t just about how much revision students do. It’s also about how the nervous system responds to pressure, and what helps it stay regulated enough to think clearly, remember more, and recover properly between study sessions.

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We can't productivity-hack our way out of an overloaded system.

In this post, I’m sharing a raw look at my own struggle with over-functioning, the absurdity of the perfectionism trap, and how changing the science of my "boat" changed everything.

A couple of years ago, I went on a second date to a quarry. The water was freezing (11 degrees) and the shortest lap was 350 metres. I thought my wetsuit would protect me, but almost immediately my body went into shock. Hyperventilating and disoriented, I realised I was chasing connection more than listening to myself.

It took months of learning to tune into my interoception to understand how to notice my limits, regulate my own responses, and create safety from within. This is a story about learning to stay present with yourself, even when connection feels urgent.