Now that Easter and the Early May Bank Holiday is over, students across the country knuckle down to prepare for the exam season that lies ahead. We know it can be a tense and stressful time, so we’ve laid out our top ten revision tips to help you smash your exams this summer.
Little but often
Make your revision more manageable by committing to small amounts at a time. A more realistic study timetable will make you less likely to skip a session and you’re more likely to remember the material because of the break afterwards.
Seize the mornings
Many people are the most productive first thing, so have a shower, have a decent brekkie and get cracking as soon as you can. If you get enough done in the morning, then you won’t feel as much pressure later on in the day and you can head outside feeling good.
Take short naps to boost recall
The brain processes information while sleeping, so a well-revised topic will be easier to recall if you sleep on it. A couple of hours of revision (with a short break every 30 mins or so), followed by a short nap should help improve your recall. We can really get on board with this idea!
The ‘pomodoro method’
This revision method follows a basic pattern of 25 minutes studying followed by a five-minute break. Give it a try and see if you are more focussed with regular small breaks. Grabbing a cuppa, having a snack, getting some fresh air and walking around can all really help focus you for when you sit back down again to revise.
Mental associations
Some people find they can improve their recall of a new subject if they associate it with something memorable. Whether it’s a funny scenario, a weird image or your favourite TV show, try linking your exam material with things that interest you.
Get your trainers on
Exercising pumps blood and oxygen around the body and your brain. These increased oxygen levels in your brain can help improve alertness, energy and ability to retain information. After a couple of hours of revision, head out for a jog to get the blood pumping and the oxygen flowing.
Get visual with colour and shapes
If you’re a visual learner, then the use of colour and shapes in your notes may help you remember facts when you’re sat in the exam. Try highlighting key facts with one colour and associated quotes with another colour. Where they are placed on your revision card or poster will also help jog your memory. Coloured sticky notes and cards are another easy way of introducing colour to help aid your revision. Sticky notes in places you visit often, like on the mirror or on the fridge, will help repeat key facts and hopefully make them stick.
Reward yourself
If you complete your revision timetable, reward yourself with something to pat yourself on the back. Whether it’s a meal with friends, a cup of your favourite Little’s coffee or a night at the cinema, rewarding yourself when you reach your goals will help you stick at it and work harder towards the next one.
Past papers
Test yourself on as many past papers that you can get your hands on. The more you do, the less overwhelming it will be when you sit down at the desk on the day. Many exam papers will follow the same format as in previous years and, if you’re lucky, you may get the same question as one from a previous paper. Doing mock exams papers will help you get to grips with the structure of the exam paper, how certain questions need answering and how points can be won.
Use family and friends
Get the people around you involved to help test you and generally talk to you around your exam subject. Talking subjects through help clarify them, and the way someone asks you a question, or even where you were sat at the time, may help jog your memory in the exam.
The most important tip of all is to not get too worried about your exams. They may feel like they're the be all and end all right now, but many people who have succeeded in life didn’t necessarily do well in their exams. Do your best, that’s all you can do and it will be enough.
And if you need a little something to see you through and pick you up when you’re feeling tired, how about trying our range of flavoured instant coffees? Good luck!
Team Little’s x
