Exams: the word itself makes my stomach drop. It is by far the most terrifying part of a High School experience, except for perhaps being pulled into the Headteachers office. With exams come revision, and revision is tedious, tiring and terrible. So, I thought I'd attempt to give you some tips on how to make revision a bit easier for your exams this year.
I am such a criminal for this, I always try and do much more than I am capable of. My plan for this year with revision was to revise an hour a night for each subject up until my exams. That would have been 9 hours work a night, how silly is that? So, instead I went for a healthy approach and did half an hour of two subjects per night, from about two months away from my exam. I didn't feel over-worked, and I hardlyfelt stressed. It is a great technique!
If you don't know the answer to something; your friends most probably will, and vice versa. You can help each other through revision, and have a good time whilst doing so. Plus, if you forget something you need to do, the chances are your friend will remind you. Also, this year I revised with friends just before my exams, had a lot of fun, and then in my exam remembered things because of silly related funny incidents.
The human brain takes in so much without us even realizing it; so by putting up things such as mind-maps and post-it notes with information on it, you will take in a lot without actually having to make the effort to remember it. If you draw pictures to symbolize things, you'll remember them in the exam. Also, recording sounds clips and falling asleep to them will help too.
This is a biggy simply because so many students think reading over a textbook the night before is a great way to revise. It really isn't. Also, staying up to try and take in more will also fail because being tired makes the brain tired - therefore making it work less. The best way to revise is over a long period of time, with plenty of sleep and healthy eating.
It may sound odd, but if you go over notes with somebody else, you'll learn things that you didn't even realize you didn't know. Also, you'll feel great and much more happier because you'll be helping somebody else learn.
You could have a ratio of half an hour of revision for every ten minutes of Facebook or half an hour for some chocolate, it will motivate you to revise more. Plus, leaving reminders of how many exams you have left will leave you motivated when it starts to get smaller. Put pictures up around your room of last summer, so you can remember how awesome it was and how much you want it to come around again.
The night before your exams, take a nice relaxing bath and listen to calming music. Try 9 Home-Made Face Masks for Winter Skin Care ... @Amanda and cucumber over your eyes. It'll take your mind off things, however, remember to be prepared and get to your exams on time.
It may not seem like it, but what you eat, drink and do affects everything. If you do not eat, you will be hungry and lose focus. If you have not slept you will be tired making your brain partially impaired and your memory will be less than usual. Eating healthy in the build up to your exams will make you feel great, and sleeping a lot will too. It will build concentration and personality and is just good for you on the whole.
If you set up a desk - it doesn't have to be fancy, just a table with some books on- it'll help you focus more, for example, whilst writing this article I could not get comfortable, and therefore put my laptop on a table, now I am more focused and more comfortable. If you cannot set up a learning environment at home, or can't get peace and quiet at home, go to your local library. Or your learning institution- they're sure to let you study there.
If you have attended the lessons all year, the chances are you'll know the syllabus. Therefore, you will know a high percentage of the answers. Secondly, if you have revised then you will most probably pass with flying colours. The only thing you can do is try your hardest, and I'm sure your hardest is good enough to pass. So, have confidence in yourself, you know you can do it.
Last but not least, I wish you all so much luck in your exams.
Maybe you could reply to this post with your opinions on the exams, or how you think you did?
I'd love to hear about it.