Useful Exam Tips

Here is an article I wrote for The National Student. Hope it helps!

No matter what their interests are, pretty much everybody loves university. Be it going out with your friends, joining new societes or just having the opportunity to watch Jeremy Kyle in your onesie every afternoon.

However, nobody can escape the exam period. Nobody looks forward to it, but here is how to get the most out of it.

Look over all your lecture notes Although that 9am lecture on a Monday morning after Carnage may have seemed like a waste of time, it probably wasn't. Most lecturers don't want to give lectures, they want to research, and so when they do lecture, they make sure it is worthwhile. If you missed a lecture, do what you can to make up the notes. Also remember these are just a starting point and you need to research the content further.

Be productive with your time Too often I see people on Facebook going on about how much revision they have to do that day. This normally consists of a picture being uploaded where said person is surrounded by about 30 books, 29 of which won't be touched that session, and then the next 2 hours my news feed is filled with said person commenting on everybodys status saying "OMG I need to revise lol!!!". Don't do this! If you say you are going to revise, do it. Also, for a bit of truth, nobody on facebook really cares how much revision you have or haven't done, so don't waste your time telling them.

Disconnect yourself from the world As great as the internet is for studying, you do not need it all the time. You also don't need to BBM all of your friends asking them how they are. Actually, as a matter of fact, you don't need any technology at all. Of course for some things, you will need to keep Google very close, but if you don't need it, turn off! You will only get distracted by pictures of cats anyway...

Wake up early A lot easier said than done for most students, myself included. However, be strict with yourself and get up no later than 9am. This gives you a bit of time to wake up, make a coffee/tea and have a quick facebook stalk of your close friends and ex before you get on with work. Trust me, this works. 

Make a plan This doesn't have to be colour coded and beautiful and take a half week to do. Even if you just take a minute to write a quick, scruffy to do list. In this way, you have it clear in your mind what you have to do.

Buy revision snacks Bananas are a superfood when it comes to studying. Although most people prefer coffee, this will give you the much needed pick-me-up when you are feeling out of energy. Nuts and other fruit work well too. However, I know most of you might ignore this. If you want buy chocolate and crisps. They aren't good for your body or for your energy levels, but if having them next to you keeps you revising then do it.

Give yourself time off No matter how much work you have to do, time off is vital. If you study too much, it will actually negatively affect your marks. You will be overtired, you will take less in and it won't be as rewarding. We all know that feeling where we have done a good two hours of revision and we feel fulfilled. We also know we have revised when overtired for a few hours and come away from it knowing nothing. 

Ignore my advice This is probably the most important one. The advice I have given you works for me and for other people, but it may not be for you. People study in different ways and for some people this could all be useless. However, don't pretend you need certain things to help you revise. Some people like to think they have Facebook on because the distraction every few minutes keeps them going. Have a think, does it really?! If you work hard and do what you need to do, that 2-1 or first will be yours.

I hope this advice helps a little bit. However, if you just feel like giving up, don't fret now. Even people who don't succeed in the world of education go on to do well. You can be the next Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison or Richard Branson if you don't try (none of them succeeded at school)! Good luck with exams everyone and happy studying.