The Leaving: With the Leaving Cert looming, you may be starting to panic or indulging in a little smug self-congratualtion. Either way, there's still time tomaximise your chances of success.

By now it's either panic stations, or total confidence - depending on the time of day you ask yourself the question: Am I ready for the Leaving Cert? Don't worry, mood swings are normal at this stage. The best way to cope is to take a realistic, calm and pragmatic look at what you should be doing now. If you feel stressed, steady lifestyle rhythms that include regular sleep, good food and exercise will be as important as your relentlessly organised study plan.

"Tensions increase for everyone as exam time approaches. The reality and the imminence of the exam hit home," says Marie Murray, whose six-part radio series Surviving the Leaving Cert, is currently on RTÉ Radio 1 on Mondays at 9.05 p.m.

"There is so little time left; yet it is sufficient if that time is used appropriately. Each day is significant. Intense application to study can still make a big difference to the final result at this stage. This fact alone causes tension," she writes in her book on which the series is based, Surviving the Leaving Cert: Points for Parents (Veritas).

Some parents and students worry that they are not studying enough and some that they are studying too much. What sort of student are you?

If you're an "anxious" student, you may become immobilised by fear, so you wander around the house, headlessly, getting nothing done, paralysed by worry. At this stage, learning to handle your anxiety is key so that you can sit down to concentrate. If you're a "compulsive" student, you may be studying so hard that you become irritable and angry. A short break, a brisk walk or an evening at the cinema may be what you need. Again, stress management is unique to each individual. Parents can help with this by knowing their child and responding sensitively to their moods.

"Whatever the student is displaying in these last weeks, parents' observations are important. This is the time when parental vigilance is crucial in order to respond to whatever message a student is trying to convey about their capacity to cope," says Murray. Here are some tips:

Eat well, regularly and sensibly. Avoid caffeine and too much sugar

Take exercise; a brisk walk will do.

Don't drink alcohol - a binge can lead to two lost days of study.

Be in bed by 11 p.m. every night, including weekends (try a hot bath, lavender oil on the pillow and warm milk. If you do go out, make it no more than one night a week and be asleep by 1.30 a.m. at latest.

Break study with 15-minute pick-me-ups, such as a hot, refreshing shower, nutritious snacks (ideally prepared by your parents), listening to music or a walk in the fresh air.

Turn off the TV (the family will have to co-operate in keeping temptation at bay). A short TV programme can be a reward when studying is finished. Get your family to record it for you so you can watch it at the end of the study session.

Don't keep a TV/Playstation in your bedroom.

Let parents take charge of the phone during study times and discreetly pass on messages. Don't have your mobile by your side as you study. During study breaks, use brief e-mails to keep in touch, rather than long, rambling conversations.

Organise your physical study space, with good lighting and ventilation, and uncluttered surfaces. Never study in bed.