Its reached that point in the school year whereby each lesson, teachers inject a sense of panic into students by telling them how many weeks, days and lessons till the exam. Im sure weve all heard a phrase something along the lines of if youre prepared, there should be no need to panic. Yes, there is some truth behind that as if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. But, there is always going to be a little ounce of worry the morning of an exam, so to minimise that amount of worry as much of possible we have the much dreaded revision.
Revision is a pain in the bum! Well, at least thats what I thought up until this year in which Ive started to somewhat enjoy it. Of course Im not saying I love it, as I would much rather be enjoying some netflix time, but I think its because Ive finally grasped the art of revision.
Up until this year, I have never been the best at revision. During my GCSEs, I did bits here and there, only giving 50% effort in some subjects and very little in others - simply because I didnt really know how to revise efficiently. Then, when I moved onto my AS levels, I started to get some idea of what it was I needed to do. But, I didnt really put it into practice until 6-8 weeks before exams so it all got a bit stressful.
However, this year, I feel as though I have got a good idea on what works well for me. So with exam season looming, I thought I share my tips and tricks. Hopefully you will find them helpful; even if it is just one of the points. Also if youre in need of a good revision method, have a look at the simple 6 step method.
1. Do homework
Homework is there for a reason - its an easy way to revise what you have learnt. I prefer trying to complete all homework at the weekend, not only so that I can dedicate time during the week to my own revision, but also because it acts as a review of the week.
2. Schedule
Work out some sort of schedule that works best for you. Personally, I dont like the idea of a strict revision schedule, stating that I need to do English themes from 6-7pm on Wednesdays and Schizophrenia on Thursdays from 2-3pm. Therefore, why not set cut off points instead. For example, allow time to cook and eat and have a set time to put everything away for the day - I like to stop at around 8:30pm. Also remember that its important to have days off!
3. Dont procrastinate
Yes, I know this is a difficult one and easier said than done. I am definitely guilty of procrastinating revision. My advice - just get stuck into it! Usually, I find that if I just dive into it, I often get carried away actually doing the work.
A cliché tip - avoid distractions. So hide that phone and unplug that laptop or whatever.
4. Breaks & outlets
Make sure to have regular breaks! And no, I dont mean writing one sentence equals another tea break. Whether it be every 30,40 or 60 minutes, make sure you have them. Get up walk around a bit, go outside, have a conversation or grab a snack.
Its also important to have an outlet from revision - that arent just 15 minute break things. If you purely did revision, youd not only be exhausted, but youd become stressed. Just do something you enjoy: meeting up with friends, watching films, baking etc.
5. Avoid talking with classmates about revision
I know this may sound like a strange one as a lot of people suggest to buddy up for revision (which is fine if thats a beneficial method for you). But, sometimes, speaking with classmates about revision (especially close to the exam) can cause more stress and panic as they may bring something up which you havent gone over yet etc. If you do need any help with anything, its probably best to speak to a teacher about it.
6. Find good revision spots
You dont always have to be stuck in your room revising. Why not stay in school/college during your frees or after school and find a place to revise, some teachers might let you do it in their classroom so youre away from noise. But, utilize the space at school/college or it could be a library or coffee shop. Find what works best for you.
7. Start early enough
We all know that starting revision for an exam the night before, or even a week before, isnt always the best plan. Its best to just start now! That way you can spread the work load out.
8. Dont stress
If you missed a day or 2 of revision because you where too tired to do it etc, it doesnt matter. If you follow tip 7, you shouldnt need to stress about missing the odd day.
9. Exercise
Obviously exercise is important anyway, but its so important to keep at it during exam season. It could be a simple as walking to school/college, a 15 minute yoga session or simply playing just dance. Why? -
- Relieves stress
- Releases endorphins that have a calming effect
- Makes you feel engergised
- Helps mental well being
- Improves sleep
- Makes you feel accomplished
10. Good diet
Like exercise, this is important all year round.
- Drink enough water (tips on how to drink more water)
- Dont skip breakfast
- Tuck into brain boosting foods : wholegrains, omega-3 rich foods, blueberries, broccoli, nuts, etc
- Read more about nutrition and study here
11. Find whats best for you
Its a case of trial and error. Some of you may work best first thing in the morning, others later in the day. Some may prefer background noise, others may like silence etc.
Do you have anymore to share? It would be great if you could share them in the comments.
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