Coping with Exams

Hey everyone!

I know it has been ages but I have had a lot of exams recently and now they are all over which is a relief! I thought that I would share some revision tips that I found quite useful when revising. This post is particularly useful for people worrying about revising and how to do it.

An example of a good mindmap

When preparing for an exam there are a few things to consider about revision. The first is timing. What I found useful was to write out all my exams and prioritise some that need more revision. After doing this, you have a clear idea of what exams you have and when. Sometimes revision timetables can be helpful because you can plan out the amounts you want to do. However you need to think carefully about what you are planning because you might find it quite hard to follow. You may be inclined to do hours of revision at a time but research shows that having short breaks after half an hour or so really benefits you and gives your mind a chance to prepare for the next slot. This is something that I tried and it worked quite well! In your short breaks, do something you enjoy. Make a hot chocolate, check your emails, read a chapter of a book or sit in the garden. This will help to relax you so you are not getting too tired!

My second point is about the revision itself. Different subjects should be approached in different ways but make sure your revision isn't too boring otherwise you won't be able to convince yourself to do it. For subjects like languages where lots of vocabulary is needed, flash cards can be really useful. When you have flash cards you can use them in a number of different ways. You could put them into a board game if you are feeling a bit too tired to study. Say you chose snakes and ladders, you would answer a question correctly before going up a ladder. Another fun flash card activity is using stairs. Start with all the cards in the middle of the stairs and then if you get the questions right move them up and if they are wrong move them down. This is also a way of getting fit! Flash cards are not always useful so you could try mind maps. I find these particularly effective in History because there can be lots of points about certain topics. Timelines can also be useful. There are numerous different ways of revising and it is important to vary your work so it isn't too boring.

There is also some scientific research that has been done about revising. It has been proven that different minds work in different ways. Some people learn best by listening, some reading and some writing. Before revising I suggest that you find which method suits you best so you can revise effectively.

In the actual exam, the most important advice is that you keep relaxed and read the questions carefully. Don't panic as you will get really stressed and that will affect your work. After the exam, don't dwell on the questions you might have got wrong because you can't change anything. Perhaps go out for meal, watch a movie or do something you enjoy to take your mind off it. Anyway, if you are like me and have lots of exams, you just start on the next one and soon forget about what happened!
I hope my readers who are approaching exams found that useful and good luck to them!

Bye!