How to revise

With exams only weeks away for some students, here are some useful tips on revision:

1. Start revising early

- i.e. months, not days before the exam. Make a timetables (see samples) to plan your revision and stick to it.

2. Don't spend ages making your notes look pretty.

- This is just wasting time. For diagrams, include all the details you need to learn, but don't try to produce a work of art. Limit yourself to two or three colours so you don't get carried away colouring things in.

3. Take short breaks

- every hour, not every ten minutes.

4. Use revision guides

5. In study leave, start revising early

- i.e. 9am - that way, you'll get your day's work done much quicker and will have time to relax in the evening.

6. Stick revision notes all around your house

- so in the exam you think - "aha, quadratic equations, they were on the fridge..."

7. Get yourself drinks and snacks


- so you don't make excuses to stop every ten minutes...




8. Try reading difficult bits in funny accents - Australian is particularly good...




9. Sit at a proper desk, no revising in bed!




10. Don't put it off


- "Procrastination" is the long word for it. And it means rearranging stuff on your desk, getting a sudden urge after 16 years to tidy your room, playing the guitar, thinking about the weekend, writing love poems about that girl/boy you fancy, painting your toenails etc, etc... sit down at your desk and GET ON WITH IT!




11. Don't just read your notes, you have to write stuff down!




12. Don't turn yourself into a revision zombie
- if you stop doing anything else but revision you'll turn into a zombie, it's really important that you keep time to do things you enjoy... like cinema, shopping, sports, Frisbee, rock-climbing, making model planes, nose-picking, whatever tickles your ferret... when you're doing these, try to relax and totally forget about revision.

13. Do lots of practice exam papers

- this is especially important as you get close to the exams.

14. Read the exam timetable properly

- double check so you don't miss an exam and have plenty of time to prepare for it.

15. Find the right environment to revise

- NOT in front of the TV. NOT listening to the radio. Music can sometimes be OK, but you need to find the right kind. It's got to be something that's just there is the background that you're not thinking about at all. Music without signing is better as you won't be tempted to dance around your bedroom like a big fool.

Good luck!