- Beany Brain
- Posts
- Beany Brain #78: It's Getting To Be That Exam Time of Year Again
Beany Brain #78: It's Getting To Be That Exam Time of Year Again
Abigail Munday
January 27, 2026
Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!
Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope today’s newsletter will bounce us up as we contemplate the upsides and challenges of being neurodivergent, a little beauty, some creativity, and just general yeehawesomeness.
Table of Contents
Photo by Abigail Munday
Exam Time Again?!
It’s stressful to take exams no matter who you are, but if you’re neurodivergent, it can feel like that flat-bed truck we saw doing a 20-point turn.
He made it, though.
The road wasn’t wide enough and there was no place to turn around easily, but he did it. We stood there and watched.
I wanted to clap at the end, but I didn’t want him to think I was making fun of him.
It was just a really fantastic job with the resources, road width, skill set, training, experience, and massive truck that he had. I was duly impressed.
As neurodivergent individuals, we might face challenges with exams: noises in the exam room that are extremely distracting, difficulties focusing during review and in exam times, extra anxiety.
YoungMinds.org.uk gives some tips:
The writer of the article recommends the following, though they may or may not work for every situation. Take what you need and leave the rest.
During review/revision:
Prioritise – try to work with a parent/guardian or teacher to develop a new routine and work out what’s most important to revise. Put your health and breaks first, then the minimum tasks, and see what’s left. That way you cover at least some of every topic. It’s not your fault if you have less time to revise than others.
Keep it varied – switching topic every 20-minutes helped me manage my ADHD and stay focused.
Ask early about adjustments – my school helped me get assessments for extra time, a digital clock, read aloud, permission to bring in food and a smaller room closer to the bathrooms. Teachers let me revise differently due to my needs.
Try to let others know how you feel – I explained my anxiety to friends and family, so they understood why I was struggling with communication, which helped me feel less guilty.
Trust yourself – focus on what you need and remember, it’s okay to ask for help.
During exams:
Go in with a plan – I knew how I would divide the time on questions to make sure I got through them all. I also had a go-to breathing technique for if I got overwhelmed. Remember, you can ask to leave if you need to.
Ask for support – let invigilators know if something went wrong before you leave the exam hall, as they may be able to alert the markers.
Use your mocks to trial your routine - this can help make the real exams feel more familiar.
Remember the senses – try not to wear something too warm/cool and find somewhere quiet to wait before the exam.
Prepare anything you need – I packed my food and equipment the night before so I wouldn’t forget under pressure.
Believe in yourself – you’ve done everything you can and we can’t always control circumstances.
After exams:
Decompress and rest – writing out or talking through the exam helped me mentally ‘park’ it. Doing something active can help release nervous energy. It’s also better to have a night off from revision, so you can focus better in the morning.
Acknowledge your feelings – give yourself time if the exam went badly - it’s okay to be upset but remember that alongside managing neurodivergence and disability, taking the exams at all is an achievement to be proud of.
Plan forwards – having something to focus on for after exams finish can help with adjusting to another new routine.
Remember that YOU are more important than exams.
They might feel like a 20-point turn in a massive truck, but you do it one point at a time.
I’ll be clapping for you, and I mean it sincerely.
Ha Ha Haiku
A funny haiku for you every week in every newsletter, whether it’s one of my own or one I curate for you. HA. Ha. Haiku.
(technically not a haiku, but funny anyway)
Photo by Abigail Munday
Autistic Meltdowns
When I used to see autistic people having meltdowns, and before I knew better, I called them tantrums.
Those are something different.
Tantrums are thrown to get something specific.
Meltdowns happen because of sensory overload or stress, and they don’t have a specific endgame. There’s a cause, but there’s not an intended outcome.
I wish I had known the difference years ago.
Did you know that meltdowns can happen in neurodivergent kids and adults?
This entire article from Reframing Autism called “All About Autistic Meltdowns: A Guide for Allies” is a great resource and worth a full read, but I’ll just share a bit here.
Here’s something new that I learned: autistic meltdowns are also called autonomic storms!
That makes so much sense to me: an involuntary storm. That’s definitely what it feels like.
A meltdown is not a conscious behaviour that can be changed, but rather an uncontrollable response to overwhelming feelings; a physical reaction to an overwhelmed brain. Too much information from sensory or cognitive stimuli triggers the automatic nervous system, which then signals to the brain that the person is in danger. This results in behaviours of distress, which can manifest in a variety of ways.
What does an Autistic meltdown look like?
Studies have revealed that Autistic individuals possess neurons that exhibit a higher level of connectivity compared to non-Autistic people. This sheds light on the reason why Autistic individuals are more susceptible to being overwhelmed by their surroundings. The sensory systems of Autistic individuals function in a distinct manner, and when faced with overwhelming stimuli, it can lead to a complete meltdown of their emotional and cognitive state.
I’ve seen others have meltdowns in various forms, but for me, what usually happens when I’m dysregulated, stressed, or overwhelmed is that I…
Get very quiet. (Although sometimes I start talking more loudly than normal.)
I feel like running away (eloping), but my Masking Game is so strong that I can usually control that.
My mind kind of goes haywire and it’s difficult to think clearly.
Then afterwards, I am extremely exhausted.
It doesn’t happen very often for me, but when it does, it’s overwhelming. And also, my masking kicks in and some others around me might not even know that it’s happening.
The article mentions that if you’re with a person who’s having a meltdown and you know it’s happening, it’s important for you to stay calm, to talk calmly and quietly to the person, and to avoid shaming or judgement. You could offer a glass of water or offer to turn lights off.
Of course, this all depends on the autistic person and their support needs in the moment. If they can’t tell you exactly what they need, just stay with them and be a supportive presence.
They might not even know what they need.
Right now I’m in my soft pajamas and thick cozy robe. It’s quiet (except for the fridge and the dehumidifier and kerosene heater, but I’m going to try Flare earplugs soon). I’m thankful that the lights are low, I’m not hungry, and I’m looking forward to sleep.
No meltdown at the moment.
Photo by Abigail Munday
Yeehawesome!
Yeehawesome! is a happy-brain roundup in each issue of Beany Brain. What’s happening that’s good in brain land? What’s bringing me joy?
This bookish tea towel from my in-laws is bringing me a lot of yeehawesome joy.
If you’re someone who procrastinates and also you like outer accountability, check out this anti-procrastination cafe in Tokyo:
Five introvert-friendly ways to hang out (including side-by-side activities like walking).
Quote of the Week
Sometimes it’s extraordinarily brave just to get up and do ordinary things.
- Charlie Mackesy, British artist and author
Beany Brownie Points and Extra Bonus Funniness
source unknown
Wonderful Wednesday
Wonderful Wednesday was a day once a year in college when they would suddenly and surprisingly call off all classes and we’d play all day. The cafeteria provided special fun food and we’d do stuff outside like slip ‘n slides and jello wrestling in sumo suits. This segment of Beany Brain is dedicated to that memory of silliness and fun—no words, just a photo from the week that I’ve taken or found that reminds me to let the joy in. Since Beany Brain is published on Wednesday every week (at least, Wednesday in Japan), I hope you enjoy this Wonderful Wednesday.
Today’s Beany-full Summary:
Neurodivergent folks taking exams might have more difficulties than neurotypical folks taking the same exams. I shared some tips to help.
Autistic meltdowns are not tantrums. They’re responses to some kind of overwhelming situation.
Go forth in Beany joy. What will help you feel yeehawesome this week?
Thank you for reading this installment of Beany Brain! You’re very welcome to hop on by any old time.
If you’re enjoying Beany Brain, please share with a friend or seventeen at www.beanybrain.com. Cheers big time!