There is no denying it, exams are getting closer which will mean that, if revision hasn’t already been at the top of your to do list over the past few months, it certainly will be now (we hope!)
For some, the prospect of revision can be daunting and overwhelming, which is why getting your revision right can help you to cope and manage those feelings effectively, leaving you feeling confident and prepared.
We have put together some tips and pointers that will help you to get the most out of your revision, to avoid wasting precious time:
Be organised
Organise your time effectively! Revision plans are an excellent tool to help with this. They allow you to plan and set goals, know what you are going to be studying on what day, what you would like to have achieved that day and how long you want to study each subject for.
Feeling prepared and organised will help to ensure that you make the most effective use of your time and help you to feel prepared and confident.
What to revise?
Make smart choices in what you are choosing to revise. Make the subject or topic that you are weakest in your priority, as you are going to spend more time on this area.
The feeling of learning something new, beginning to understand a topic and seeing your knowledge and results improving will spur you on and keep you going.
Remember you can do it, keep yourself motivated and believe in yourself and your ability.
The set up
The place that you choose to revise is extremely important and will have a huge impact on your productivity. Make sure that you choose an environment that will allow you to focus, that has minimal distractions and that is set up as a productive working place. A noisy coffee shop with your friends compared to the library or a quiet room in your house is unfortunately not going to be as effective!
Handy hint: Put phones, iPads etc away in a drawer or in the next room to avoid the temptation of answering messages or checking social media.
Our quiet, relaxed environment here at INICIO is a perfect combination!
Revision notes
Your revision notes will be a vital tool in the upcoming weeks… they may even temporarily become your best friend.
Make sure you keep your notes concise and well organised, with the key parts of information in only. You can use a range or methods to organise these in ways that are preferable to your learning style: bullet points, pictures, colour-coded or spider maps… whatever you find works best for you.
Tip: try to limit the use of different coloured pens, highlighters and paper; although they are great tools to use, try not to take away from the content of your revision.
Resources
There are lots of excellent revision resources available to you; past papers, revision and text books, online games/activities/tests, one to one tuition, study groups and your revision notes. All of these are excellent tools to help aid, test and improve your knowledge and make the most of what is available to you.
Rest and relaxation
This may be your favourite tip! Take regular breaks during revision sessions and also take time to do things that you enjoy. Spend time with your friends, go out for dinner, go to the gym or whatever your preferred down time might involve.
Take regular breaks during revision! research suggests that every hour we should have a 10-15 minute pause.
Tip: Don’t spend all of your breaks on your phone or sat watching television. Going for a walk and getting some fresh air is a far more effective use of breaks.
Look after yourself
Sleep and nutrition are both extremely important in the lead to up to exams and during revision; your brain is more responsive, able to absorb and recall information, and to concentrate for longer periods of time, when these needs are being met.
You are what you eat!
Good luck to all of you who are revising hard for your exams! Remember to be prepared, be organised, stay focused, work hard and don’t forget to rest and relax in between!
Feel like you need an extra hand? Contact us here INICIO, to see what we can do to help. We have a bank of supportive, talented tutors and we cover a wide range of subjects… we will help you in anyway that we can!
