Voices is the Dorset Echo's weekly youth page - written for young people by young people.

This week Oliver hands out his top-tips for getting through exams.

As we hurtle towards GCSEs and A-levels, I must emphasise that there is no need to panic.

Having witnessed a deluge of stressed students dreading every moment of their existence, I decided it would be worth offering some advice and assistance for parents and students alike as I am a certified secondary school survivor.

First things first, do not suffer in silence.

Exams are hard and it truly pays to get help. Every student is surrounded with a support network of parents, caregivers, teachers and fellow students – if you are stuck, do not bottle it up.

Teachers typically hold the answers and have marked mock exams – they understand the mark schemes better than anyone and are more than happy to help.

If anything, talking to a teacher about your uncertainties shows you genuinely want to do well. More often than not, if they see you putting the effort in, they will not only match it, but support you 110 per cent of the way.

“But how do you know this?” you may ask, as sceptical as you are distraught.

I know as I did horrendously in my mock exams and confessed I needed help – or else I would be coming out with Bs at best in English.

I got the help and support I needed – which was surprisingly easy as I had just missed a few key spots – and came out with a 9/A** in literature and an 8/A* in language all because I asked for help.

Of course, not every teacher is willing or able to give up their lunch breaks or after school time to save some of their students but fear not, every time you have been told ‘the internet is your enemy’, you have been lied to.

Numerous online revision sites exist and some of the highest quality resources available are free.

Freesciencelessons (freesciencelessons.co.uk) was my secret weapon to going from a D to a B and there are plenty of revision sites covering everything from science to sociology out there to save you from stressing in your study.

Study hard, but do not study too hard.

Your best is good enough, exams are not worth losing sleep over.

By Oliver Streather-Paul