As we plunge into the most stressful time of the year you may well be looking for ways to scramble out of the revision abyss you have fallen into. Suddenly, after months of doing relatively little and smashing out essays the night before the deadline, you have to put in some very hard work. Fortunately, there are a few tricks of the trade that will help you stay afloat this exam season. Studying all night isn’t going to do nearly as much as following these handy tips.
Make a Revision Timetable
I cannot stress how easy this is and yet how incredibly useful it is at the same time. Work out which exams come first and prioritise revising for these over the ones that come later. Work out which exams have more content and are therefore going to take longer to prepare for and decide which modules you are particularly weak at. Once you’ve got everything worked out, put it all on a timetable that allocates an appropriate amount of time to each topic or module. Now all you have to do is follow it.
Use Old Exam Papers
Past papers are a goldmine when it comes to effective studying. Take a look at what questions were asked before and see if any topics come up every year. It might be a good idea to make a chart of all the topics that show up on the past ten past papers and how frequently these topics come up. If you notice a few topics come up almost every year, then it is a good bet to focus a bit more attention on these. You can also use past papers to work out which kind of question you are good at answering and which kind you need to work on a bit more.
Sleep and Eat
If your body isn’t getting the energy it needs then you are going to struggle to make it through exam season. Don’t stay up all night studying. You won’t take anything in, and you’ll feel terrible the next day. Instead, make yourself go to bed at a sensible time and get an early start to studying in the morning. When it comes to food, don’t depend on fast-food and ready meals. Take the time to cook yourself something nutritious – fish is a great option as the fatty acids improve your memory.
Keep Your Study Space Tidy
There is nothing worse than trying to study in a room full of clutter. Keep your papers and folders neatly organised, and you will have a much easier time studying. Mess gives off a lot of negative energy and can affect us much more than you might believe. On a practical level as well, it will be a lot easier to find a specific page of notes if you have everything nicely arranged and tidy. Don’t leave your empty crisp packets lying on the floor and give the place a dusting every now and again. You’ll appreciate the effort.
