5 tips to ace your revision this exam season
It’s hard to believe that exam season is already here. The sun is shining, the flowers are budding into life, and students up and down the country are indoors, hunkered over their notes. Everything has been leading up to this moment, but now it is here you might feel overwhelmed by the amount you have to do. Never fear, here are my tried and tested top tips for acing your revision this exam season:
1. Focus on what you don't understand.
Of course it's tempting to focus on what you're good at because it's more enjoyable. But, what you really need, is to focus on the things you do NOT understand. Go through your work and the specifications and identify what you are struggling with. Do those things first. Do those things more often. Do those things for longer. Don’t be tempted to think you need to spend an equal amount of time on each topic or each subject - you don’t. If you already know something, you already know something. It would be great if your favourite topics came up in the exam, but you need to prepare for the possibility that they won’t, and the best way to do that is to practice the things you struggle with.
2. Don't focus on how your notes look.
What really matters is your understanding and your ability to apply the knowledge to the exam, but it's often easy to get caught in the trap of making things look good. After all, it’s very pleasing to have a set of Insta-worthy notes. But, be honest, does producing pretty notes help you to develop a deep understanding of the topic? The answer is probably not. So, if you find yourself spending hours making charming revision timetables, highlighting your notes in different pastel shades and producing reams of beautifully illustrated mind maps then it's likely that you are wasting your time. It's okay to be messy - there are no marks for neatness!
3. Practice doing exam questions.
Exam technique is often overlooked, but it is essential to doing well. Familiarise yourself with the exam papers and question types - past papers can usually be found online on the exam board website. Use the mark schemes to check what the examiners are looking for. You will also need to practice completing exam papers IN TIMED CONDITIONS. Aim to do consistently well across all the questions - remember that full marks in one question and no marks in another makes for a low grade.
4. Check if you can recall the info.
How do you know that you can remember the content? There are a few ways to do this. You could quiz yourself or get others to quiz you. Or, you could use cue cards or an application like Quizlet to do this. Try to be active when you revise as it will help you to make memories. Reading through your notes is a terrible idea as it is passive. Instead, try to write them out in a different form - perhaps by making mind maps or condensing them in some way. Another thing that helps is to teach someone else, so perhaps enlist a study buddy, or the help of a sibling or parent.
5. Look after your mental and physical health first.
This should go without saying, but in my time I have seen the stress get to even the most able student. Take breaks. Sleep. Nourish your body and exercise. Remember to keep a sense of perspective - these exams are important, but they are not everything!
Good luck and I’ll see you on the other side!