My top tips for revision

It is now the Easter holidays which means one thing: revision. Exam season is here and so are deadlines flying at us from left, right and centre. Whether you have exams at the end of May or assignment deadlines coming up in the next few months, here are my top tips for revision that have helped me over the last six years. 

Make a plan. This seems simple and something you might think is a waste of time and trust me I thought this at first too when it seems boring and tedious. I always thought it was something I would never stick too and a waste of time to do. But trust me, if you make a plan in the right way with attainable goals it will work! I usually use Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet of when my exams are and then work backwards on what I need to work on first. I work in a colour coded system in a way that the most important stuff is in red and the least important stuff is in green. When I say most important stuff, I mean topics and knowledge that I have not understood fully, or I can’t remember which calls for me to go over again and revise first. An additional tip would be to always tackle the stuff you find hardest and is not easy as the more you put it off and put at the bottom of your to do list, the longer it will not get done and it will be too late by the time your exams come around. 

Make sure you are exercising regularly. This can just be a 20-minute walk! If someone said this to me five years ago, I would think they mean doing a HIIT workout or a run thinking that was the only effective way of exercising. But a walk a day is just as effective for getting in your steps and most importantly getting fresh air which, you need when stuck inside revising all day! Whether walking, running or cycling is your thing, then I advise getting out at least once a day and you will feel a whole lot better for it! A walk with a friend or with your headphones in and a podcast is always fun to clear your head when taking a break from revision.

Get a good night’s sleep. When I used to get told this I never believed I needed 8-9 hours and thought I could push through exam season with less sleep. Oh, how I was wrong! It has taken me years to realise that I am not as effective on five hours sleep compared to when I have had a full night’s sleep with 8-9 hours. It makes such a difference too. If I do not get at least 8 hours a night I will probably need to nap the day after which creates inconsistencies and I lose effective revision time. However, I know lots of people are night owls and work best at night so I would totally understand if working till 2am is for you, then go for it! Just remember to get enough sleep whilst trying to find the best times you revise in.

Finally, keep consistent and stay in a routine. It occurred to me last year especially in the first national lockdown here in the UK, that having a routine was so important to keep me motivated and gave me something to wake up for. I was much more motivated and organised when I stuck to a routine of waking up at 8am and starting revision at 9am and then knowing I was going to finish by 5pm and have the evening to relax. When writing up your revision plan, I advise to also write up a timetable which will give you a routine to stick too and keep you more on track! 

I hope these tips have helped! I will never be consistent with all four of these tips and I will have the occasional day where I do not feel myself and therefore sleep-in late and do not stick to my routine! But that’s life, we are only human and currently going through a pandemic so do not be too hard on yourself! My main tip would be to look after yourself and give yourself down time to unwind and relax.  Good luck with revision and stay safe!