How to revise for an exam

Wanting to revise is a really good thing, but not knowing how to will decrease your motivation and you won't be able to study effectively. I've put together the best tips and tricks that work for me when I'm studying, so that if you have exams coming up (*cough* 12th of May) you won't come across any topics you didn't know about or get stuck on trying to remember something. Well, it'll decrease your chances by a LOT. If you want to get into a certain set next year and get good levels on your tests, you'll have to go over nearly everything you've studied. But don't panic - time is key! Right now we have 2 weeks until our finals for KS3 that determine how we learn our GCSEs. This is enough time to study.

Step one: Make sure you're not distracted.

Find a place where you have enough room to study and it's free from distractions. Remove all pets from the room, put your phone on silent and put it out of your sight, hide your laptop somewhere etc. Maybe even ask your mum or someone to hide your things so you don't know where they are and therefore you HAVE to study. You'll be tempted to check your social networks every once in a while or send a text whenever you hear your phone, and you may think "One text won't hurt" or "I'll just reply to their comment.." but this will get you out of the 'study zone' and you won't be as focused when you go back to studying.

You don't check your phone or go on your laptop during an exam, so don't do it whilst revising!

Some people like to have one specific room to study in, whereas some people like to go out in public or change locations every time they study. I usually study in my room on my desk and I don't change locations. This is useful because I can associate my knowledge with the location I was in.

Make sure the room is quiet and there are no other people in it, unless you want to study with them.

Step two: Find the best way to study for you and stick to it.

Get a revision timetable and stick to it.

Maybe write: Sunday 12:00-13:00 - Maths past paper.

REPLICATE THE TIMES YOU STUDY WITH THE TIME YOU DO THE EXAM IF YOU CAN!

If you have your maths exam from 11:30 to 12:30 (3rd period) then do a past paper at the weekend from 11:30 to 12:30! You'll be able to remember things clearly.

I ALWAYS DO PAST PAPERS IN EXAM CONDITIONS.

If there are things I don't understand, I go back through them after I do the test (and I use extra time in the time I give myself to check the test) and take notes on them, do exercises I find on websites/in textbooks and make sure I know it well enough to teach someone else.

Maybe watch videos if you're a visual learner. Remember phrases/rhymes/songs if you learn things by hearing them. I'm a mixture of both, so I sometimes watch demonstrations on youtube of how science works and I take notes in my own words, and I listen and remember the words.

(every pla-ant knows this fun-da-ment-al process

and we-e call this pho-to-synth-es-is)

Write on revision cards and ask people to test you on them.

EG: Sibling: (On revision card) What year was Shakespeare born?

You: *Thinks back to how you remembered it* 1564 in the Elizabethan era.

Sibling: *Looks at answer on card* Correct!

Study with other people if you can!

I usually study by myself, but it's useful getting help from my friends if they understand something and I don't.

Step three: GIVE. YOURSELF. BREAKS.

BUT. NOT. TOO. MANY.

Don't think "I've done 10 minutes of simultaneous equations, which means 10 hours of youtube so I can cool down."

Even though I wish you could.

Do a past paper and cover all the stuff you couldn't do, then once you've done that, play a bit of sims for half an hour or go eat some food.

Then go back to revising but on a different subject. Or on the same subject if that's what suits you.

Whatever you do, STICK TO YOUR TIMETABLE.

Step four: Eat and sleep.

Each human our age (13-14) needs about 8 hours of sleep a night. What I do is I get ready for bed at 21:30, go to bed at 22:00, go to sleep at around 23:00 and wake up at 7:00. That's around 8 hours of sleep, but when you have an exam, try to have ONE EXTRA HOUR of sleep on days you're revising and especially the night before the exam.

Eat healthy food and have a balanced diet - don't live on sugar. This can make you have sugar crushes and you'll not function well and won't take in as much information.

BUT you should have a little sugar to keep your spirits up - one bar of chocolate is the best for this.

 NAPS > CAFFEINE.

 NAPS > CAFFEINE.

 NAPS > CAFFEINE.

DO NOT HAVE CAFFEINE WHEN YOU REVISE OR HAVE THE TEST!

You'll have a crash and you'll be really drowsy and your brain won't be able to remember any information.

TAKE NAPS INSTEAD/SLEEP MORE.

Here's why.

(why is Kate Middleton on the thumbnail? She's not even in the video lol)

TIPS AND TRICKS TO REMEMBER MORE:

-Take all your notes with a blue pen and write in the same colour when you take the test. It's scientifically proven that you remember more text when it's read in blue and if you write in the same colour in the test, it'll take you back to your notes if you've read over them enough and jog your memory.

-If you're allowed to chew gum at school, chew gum when you're revising and the same gum for the test. This will again jog your memory. If it's not allowed at your school (which it isn't in mine) or you're not allowed it yourself, try brushing your teeth before you revise and right before you go to school, if you have tests in the morning before you eat.

-Don't work on an empty stomach! At break and lunch, eat carbohydrates and fruit + vegetables. Maybe pack yourself a sandwich and a cereal bar. Also make sure you've had plenty of breakfast because this makes your brain more active.

-Don't copy out large chunks of text or just do one past paper. Write in your own words and take notes and do exercises on the things you don't understand.

-Repetition is key to remembering things. Don't read over things or do an exercise just once!

-STAY CALM! If you think you'll pass this test with a good level, there's more likelihood that you'll get a better level. If you think you'll do badly, you WILL DO BADLY. So don't stress because it's unhealthy and be confident. :}

Ok, if you're procrastinating from revising from tests that're coming up, go revise.

Right now.

Go.

You'll fail your test otherwise.

....go then.

You're still here aren't you?

Yeah, I thought so.

-Harriet