Most students see exams as their worst nightmare. Whether we like it or not, they’re inevitable and we must all deal with them at some point in life. Why freak out and blab about how difficult exam are, when you could dedicate that time to a thorough study session? Spice up your exam revision session, and check out these smart tips meant to help you study more efficiently.
Study during the day
All students love to sleep in late, but you might want to know that’s a bad idea when you have to prepare for an exam. Revising during daylight hours is way more fruitful, since your body and brain are fresh and alert. Your evenings should be dedicated to going out with friends and having a good time. Remember: the brain needs to relax, just like the body.
Make a revision schedule
If you want to make sure you’ll have enough time to study, plan your revision in advance. Studies have proven that a 20 – 30 minute revision session will enable students to focus on the material better; divide your day into 30-minute revision sections that will be followed by 5- minute breaks. Don’t spend a whole day studying for a single subject. Mix them up so that you can cover multiple assignments every day.
Revise in a quiet place
It’s essential to study in a quiet place where no one can interrupt you. Turn your iPad, iPhone, and TV off, and make sure that everything you might need is at hand. There are students who prefer to revise with the radio on, but that depends on your preferences and learning style.
Creativity at its best
Learning online can be a very efficient revision technique. Reading never-ending sheets of text and paragraphs might affect and exhaust your eyes. Therefore, you should consider taking the help of notes available online. They are not only interesting but also make your learning process easy. Go for diagrams, acronyms and mnemonics to make your revision more enjoyable.
Take a look at your past papers
Past exam papers are another useful revision tool because they allow you to review mistakes so that you don’t repeat them. Thanks to these past papers you can identify topics that are usually included in your exam questions and focus on them. Ask your teachers to give you some papers or search for them on the internet.
Concentrate on your weaker subjects
Of course, you have to learn all subjects, but sometimes you should focus more on the subjects you’re feeling insecure about. You can test yourself on one of these subjects daily and you’ll definitely be ready to deal with them when you take the exam.
Study with your colleagues
It’s not a good idea to be a hermit. You have to concentrate on your own progress, but you should also meet up with your colleagues and organize revision groups. This way, you can test each other or even practice conversations in a foreign language.
Reward yourself
It’s highly recommended to establish goals because you’ll feel amazing when you fulfill them. Still, note that your goals should include the things you want to achieve, not the amount of time you intend to spend revising. If you managed to memorize the dates of an important war by end of the day, reward yourself with a 20-minute nap.
Eat healthy foods
Bear in mind that your diet can have a considerable impact on your health, as well as on your efficiency. Hence, you should consume healthy foods that contain potassium (like bananas) and avoid too much coffee. Stay hydrated and your body will be provided with the energy it needs to keep studying fruitfully.
Sleep
According to some studies, it appears that students achieve better results when they sleep for 7 to 8 hours per night. If you sleep too much, you’ll become lethargic, but if you don’t sleep enough you won’t be able to revise efficiently.
Preparing for an exam can be a nerve-racking and time-consuming experience. But if you make a detailed learning schedule and stick to it, you’ll surely manage to get good grades. Honestly speaking, every student hates exams. Yet, they’re important for our academic future. At the early age of 16 to 18 we might not realize that; however, after you’ll pass your A-level exams to get into college, you’ll start to acknowledge the importance of a good education.
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