How to revise effectively?

The months leading up to exams is a stressful period. Whether you’re at school, college or university, students seem to be feeling the pressure now more than ever. Do you ever sit in your room with good intentions to revise but never know where to begin? We’ve all been there and there’s never been a better time than now to learn how to revise effectively.

Before you begin revising

Before you begin revising make sure don’t skip breakfast! This is the most important meal of the day. Making sure you eat breakfast, not only help with levels of concentration but it also boosts your memory. Yes, that’s right; it really is that important!

Put your phone out of sight and out of mind. They can act as a major distraction, you might think you’re just going to send a couple of texts but it won’t end up there, before you know it you’ll be having a good old gossip about what you had for tea (if you’re at university our guess is it was probably pasta) and you’ll have missed valuable revision time. Switch it off and put it in a draw that way you won’t be tempted.

In your revision session

During your revision session try to start early so you can spread it out throughout the day instead of spending all afternoon revising because you didn’t wake up till dinner.

It’s important to begin your revision a few months before and not leave it until last minute. Do you think Sergio Aguero would start training the day before City vs United? No, we don’t think so either.

A good revision technique is to do example papers at the end of each revision session that way when you mark it you’ll know what areas are your strong points and which are your weaknesses.

Another revision technique is to write cue cards and teach someone else, this way you’re boosting your memory as you’re reading it, then you’ll write it on the cue cards and then you’ll be reading it out loud in a structured, organised manner.

Tips

• Don’t listen to music while revising
• Get fresh air and exercise
• Take breaks – This doesn’t mean going on a break every 15 minutes
• Stick revision notes all around the house that way in your exam you’ll think ‘ah formula, that was on the kettle’.
• Don’t revise in bed, sit at your desk or a table

You can make your own revision timetable for free or download ours. If you have a revision timetable you’re more likely to put your plan into action.

Good luck with your exams!