End-of-term exam time can be one of the most stressful of the year. All the information you have learnt over the last few months will be tested in that short one or two hour exam, so it’s no wonder people are left wondering how to cram all that information in in time. Here are our tips to help you tackle your revision one step at a time.
1. Draw up a list. Devising a list of all the subjects you need to revise can help you to delegate your time more effectively and help you keep a clear head. Make sure you don’t forget anything – you don’t want to be having a dramatic realisation half an hour before an exam that you haven’t yet revised!
2. Make a revision timetable. Now that you’ve got your list, it would be a good idea to draw up a table and decide when to allocate time for each subject. For example, you could spend alternate days on each module
3. Keep calm. The worst thing that you can do during exam period is let the pressure get on top of you, as this means that information won’t be stored and you will not perform at your best. If you feel the pressure getting to you, have a relaxing bath or do something calming that works for you.
4. Take regular breaks. Overloading your brain is never a good idea, and trying to learn too much at once can sometimes mean that you don’t learn anything at all. Designate certain times in the day when you will take a break. Meet a friend for a coffee or go for a run for a change of scenery.
5. Eat well. It is very tempting to fill yourself full of unhealthy convenience food while revising for exams because of how quick it is to prepare. Eating a healthy balanced diet, however, could help your concentration immeasurably, so snack on fruit rather than chocolate and crisps and plan meals the night before to avoid reaching for the ready-made stuff.
6. Drink coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant which can help concentration, so why not take a flask to the library? Or if you’re working from home you and your flatmates could invest in a coffee machine such as a Tassimo – this could work out a lot cheaper than your daily trip to the local coffee shop.
7. Get enough sleep. Being exhausted is never a good foundation for a solid day of revision, so make sure you get enough sleep. Set a cut-off time each evening for when you’ll stop revising and let yourself unwind.
8. Go somewhere quiet. It can be hard work trying to revise in a noisy environment so go to a quiet room in the house where you will not be disturbed – or perhaps even to your local library, where being quiet is not optional!
Follow the tips above and you are sure to find your revision that bit easier.