Take a look at my top 5 tips for revision & exams.
- Talk to your teacher/tutor
You might not be best friends with your teachers, especially if you’re at school/college, but they are really helpful around exam time. They want you to do well, so will help you with anything they can. If there is anything you’re particularly struggling with in your subject you should ask them about it. And ask them early, so that you’ve got time to work it out. Don’t get to the exam and realise there might be something on there you’re not totally comfortable with.
- Revise smart
I’ve always thought that if you are missing things during exam season because ‘you’re revising’, you aren’t revising enough. You should be revising to a point where you can have time off to do other things. There is no reason to blanket out days for revision if you don’t feel confident at the end of those days. Do short bursts of effective revision – 30 minutes then a break etc. Revise hard in those 30 minutes, without your phone around and you’ll realise you’re suddenly getting a lot more done. Then do it a few times over and you’ve got 2 hours of good revision in, and loads of time to do other things and not get swamped by it all.
- Routine, Diet and Exercise
This can be applied to any aspect of your life, but having a good routine is critical to get anything done. First is to get your sleeping pattern in check, because you don’t want to be waking up after 12 everyday, or getting less than 8 hours sleep. You don’t want to have a lack of energy, or crash everyday in the afternoon. Then sort your diet out, obviously you don’t have to be super strict but just be aware the effects foods like sugar and bread have. Our bodies aren’t really designed to deal with them, so try and keep a low intake whilst keeping your brain fresh. And then exercise! Any form of exercise will clear your head, and chill you out. If you’re stuck or bored, or anxious, do a little 20 minute run and you’ll feel a lot better.
- Enjoy it!
Exams are awful and I hate them, but if I went back to do my GCSE’s or A-Levels now, I genuinely think I’d do much better. I’ve gained some perspective on how much pressure I put myself under, but also how enjoyable it is to really learn a subject. There’s a high chance you’re never going to get the time or utilities to learn in this way again, so try and enjoy what you’re doing. You will do so much better with that mindset.
- Relax
During my A-Levels I had some horrid nightmares, and I’m told people still get them in their forties. There is an intense amount of pressure on you, so it’s easy to forget how everything’s not in stake. You want to try your best, but remember if you don’t do well, you can always retake exams, have a year off or go to the uni that wasn’t necessarily your first pick, or even do a foundation year like me! Exams are chilled if you are chilled.
