Revision Tips
Revision Tips
Everyone hates revision right? But when exams loom, and beyond them lies a career, revising is key. Let’s face it, reading through pages and pages of scribbled notes are going to get you nowhere. And don’t even get us started on the highlighters.
Make your revision fun, and when we say fun we really mean easier. That way you spend less time convincing yourself to do it and it’s all over a little bit quicker.
Some of the usual advice is worth following. Structure your notes, plan regular breaks and give yourself some time off. There’s no point running out of steam on day one. And as tempting as the night before sounds, start revising with as much time to spare as you can.
Learning Styles
When it comes to good revision it all depends on how you go about doing it. Your sister may have been able to read a page once and remember it forever but forget about her, what works for you?
Are you a seer, a hearer or a doer?
This may sounds like long-haired hippy nonsense but it isn’t. Seers (or visual learners) benefit from images instead of pages of words. Stick posters around your house (the mirror or on the fridge are two good places) – the more you see them, the more likely you are to remember them.
Hearers (auditory learners) remember notes by reading them out loud, or from hearing them – pester a family member or friend to sit with you and read your work to you (boring for them, beneficial to you, win/win).
Doers (tactical learners) learn by practice, practice, practice. Understanding what it is exactly that you are trying to study is one way to drum it into your memory.
If you have no idea which you are? Try them all.
Diet
Revising may be boring, but how you revise is only one part of getting a good grade. What you eat is vital to how your brain works.
Snacking on crisps and sweets may sound like the best idea but really isn’t. Junk food has been found to block the passage of messages between the nerve endings in your brain, all those hours studying for nothing.
Instead try a handful of nuts or berries, both contain Omega3 and will keep you active and focused.
Like you've been told a million times before, breakfast is actually the most important meal of the day. Sugary cereals and toast will give you a short buzz and then you’ll be hungry again. Porridge is great because it releases its energy slowly and the milk you use with it provides protein which will aid your concentration levels.
Lastly, drink lots. Keeps you focused and awake, making lots of trips to the toilet is 100 times better than sitting there staring blankly at the screen and learning nothing whilst dying of thirst.
Last updated on: 16 March 2011