How to be a revision pro this exam season!! :D
Exams can be extremely difficult, not only are they stressful but also time consuming. As a final year student I thought it would be helpful to make a blog post about helpful hints and tips on revision this exam season.
I hope they help and I hope they work for me! Some general rules of revision or hints and tips are: (Around 15)… 1) Before leaving University/School ensure you have what you need,
would you all believe i have survived living in my little house for over two years, and DO NOT HAVE WIFI!! Yes it is true, i dont know how i have survived! So before i left University, i make sure i had all the class notes and or books i wanted to use for revision.
This didn’t mean that i didn’t have to go to my mums house or Stephens parents house to look stuff up, but i tired! 2) Don’t spend ages making your notes look pretty No one will see them other than you! As long as you can read them, that’s all that matters 3) Take short breaks – every hour not every 10 minutes!
4) Use revision guides Revision guides are slightly more aimed at GCSE’s Google is a wonderful tool! In terms of University, don’t be lazy and haul your hungover arse out of bed and go to the lecture in week 12 which provides you with the information you need for the exam. Yes, most universities have blackboard and upload this information but a lecturer will give extra guidance during this class which won’t be on the slides 5) If you can, stick revision around the house Post its are great for this, little pieces of information or facts you need to remember. Try putting them in places that are useful, beside the kettle for when your make a cuppa!!
P.s dont ever ask me to make you a cuppa, i dont drink tea of coffee and tend to make dish water!! 6) Sit at a proper desk, make yourself a revision area Personally I’m extremely lucky and have a spare room in our house which I was able to turn into an office. Due to working at home for a year I thought I needed a decent work station! I love having this area, I remember when I lived at my mums, I always had to ‘clear that away, dinner is almost ready’ such a pain in the arse!! Having an area just for revision means you can get up and leave all sitting ready for the next day 7) Start Early!! For example Christmas exams, although it is difficult to concentrate coming up to the festive period you need to. Get started early, most schools finished before Christmas, I know Ulster University finished December 18th this year. This gave me a week to begin revision before the festive season. If you can use this week to make your notes etc., then all that needs to be done is learn them. In my eyes note making is the worst bit!! 8) Don’t just read your notes, you need to write stuff down I might do this to the stage to the point of over kill, for example when I am trying to learn an essay I will write it out at least five times, I will highlight the important facts I need to remember and then write them out as many times as I can! One of those times will be onto flash cards so I can read them the morning of the exam 9) Don’t turn into a revision zombie, don’t forget to have a life Yes exams are important, but you will go stir crazy if you turn into a revision zombie! Set a cut off time each evening, leaving enough time to watch a movie or Hollyoaks! At the weekends plan to visit a friend in between study times, or study in the morning and after lunch then in the early evening finish and enjoy yourself! 10) Use practice exam papers If they are available Honestly I don’t know how to explain that, use your university blackboard to search for past papers. If it’s an essay exam practice writing for long periods of time, to do this, writing your notes out numerous times should help. My hand/wrist gets sore yes, but I am comfortable to write for a three hour exam constant! 11) Background noise If you like listening to music, make sure it’s the right type of music, something playing in the background you can almost ignore. I normally use Spotify when listening to music, Keep the TV off! It’ll start off as background noise and then you’ll end up watching re runs of The Big Bang Theory 12) Make yourself a revision time table This can be helpful if you’re the kind of person to stick to them, I did make a revision time table for these exams but didn’t stick to it. If a revision time table for the entire time you are off wont suit you then I find it helpful to make plans for the day. In the evening I will make a plan for the next day, factoring in any messages of jobs I have to do, and then time to study also. 13) Keep up physical activity Don’t forget to stay active, in-between revising go for a walk or to the gym, on Wednesday I went for an hour long cycle! 14) Eat brain foods– or at least try…. o Extra virgin olive oil: This is a healthy source of fat in the diet and can help reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Some studies have linked olive oil with a lower risk of ischaemic stroke, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. o Oily fish (examples: salmon, herring, mackerel): This is an excellent source of omega-3, which your brain needs to stay healthy. o Berries and other deep-coloured fruits and vegetables (examples: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, spinach, beetroot, beans): These foods are high in antioxidants, which help guard against disease by protecting cells in the body and brain from damage. o Foods containing ‘good fats’: Foods containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (nuts, seeds, fish, leafy green vegetables) and monounsaturated fatty acids (extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts) may reduce your risk of both depression and dementia. o Dark chocolate: It contains high levels of antioxidants, although it is also high in sugar and fat. One small piece of dark chocolate per day is enough to get the antioxidant benefit. Dark chocolate has high levels of antioxidants o Green tea: This is another rich source of antioxidants. Source(https://www.brainandspine.org.uk)
15) Sleep well and get up early Go to bed, if you’re like me you end up revising half the day and cleaning the house the other half! So when you sit down in the evening you end up watching bout 3 episodes of Law and Order Special Victims Unit Unit!! 12am and you’re falling asleep on the sofa!! Try not to, get to bed around 11pm and get up around 8am or 9am. Take a sleep in as it’s also time off classes but don’t take the biscuit!
Remember to stay calm; all you can do is try your best!! If you get the revision done and start early then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. When you’re going into the exam hall, especially for the first time, it can be extremely nerve wracking!! Make sure you have everything you need, whether it’s a calculator, student card or black/ blue pens (always bring spares). Don’t forget to bring water and a tissue! There is nothing worse that someone with a dry cough or runny nose disrupting everyone! You don’t want to be that person called out by the judicators! Plus water is always nice to have; exams can be anything from 2 hours to 4 hours!
I hope you all find these tips helpful, and wish everyone good luck in their exams, weather there University exams, A-Levels or GCSE’s.
**Remember I’m not professional; this is just things I have learnt over the years that helped, or have been advised to do myself. **
Thanks for reading!!
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Ash x