How to mix up studying and revising

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Exam season is the most dreaded term for all students, especially when you have to juggle other responsibilities at the same time. Often you can find yourself still having coursework deadlines and internship/grad scheme applications in process. But exams always take first place on the stress scale. They are an unavoidable part of student life but you should channel your stress and drive it in a way that will improve your work. There are lots of different ways to improve your studying efficiency but some techniques work better than others, depending on the individual. This is why I have compiled a list of numerous tips to try when it comes to exam season.

Start early

More often than not, most people study better early in the morning since the brain is more active and more efficient. Your brain cells are more alert thus your concentration and memory are better. It is also less stressful because you have much more time to meet any deadlines that might be due in the day after. This way, you have a head start and can leave the evenings free for unwinding and catching up with friends.

Take breaks

Taking breaks is not just essential for your brain function but it is also something to work towards and motivate you, so that you work as hard as possible before you take the break. Studies have shown that the best results come out of working for 50 minutes and taking a 10 minute break. Try to avoid watching TV or playing on your phone for that 10 minutes as this doesn't actually relax your brain and will interfere with your studying routine. Leave that for your lunch and dinner break. Go for a walk or do some yoga which will take your mind off studying and refresh you for the next study period.

Change location

Scientists have shown that changing your location when studying helps you to retain information. You are less likely to get bored and tired being sat in the same place for the whole day. For a change, leave the library and go to a quiet corner of a coffee shop and treat yourself to a little snack and new surroundings.

Mind maps

Mind maps are a great way to keep you interested in studying. They engage your brain and allow you to see the big picture (how all the different ideas of one topic are connected to one another). They can also help you to clarify your thoughts, simplify more complicated ideas, memorise more information and release your creative flair.

Use colour

Obviously, colour is a stimulus for the brain. It opens up other areas of the brain and allows greater and easier learning and remembering. New information that enters our brain through our eyes and ears is stored in the so called sensory memory. But we can pay attention only to a small amount of information. Once something has attracted our attention, it moves into our working memory. The brain notices and remember colour first.

Flash cards

In addition to being more fun to create than rewriting endless study notes, flashcards are much more efficient than staring at your textbook. Studying flashcards helps the brain to retain information as they engage in active recall. When a learner practices a flashcard deck, their brain is given a clue on the front side and they attempt to actively recall the information on the back. Each time a student practices this process it means that they are forcing their brain to remember a concept. This makes using flashcards a compelling method of memorisation.

Listen to music

Studies show that listening to music helps revision but only in certain ways. Headphones aren't the best choice, it is more helpful if you listen to it in the background when studying, and with familiar music. This helps to relax the mind and de-stress.

Read it out

If you haven't heard of the production effect, it is a study that proves reading aloud helps cognitive memory function. Seeing something and reading it out loud, creates a link between the visual and auditory function. Therefore, a memory link to the actual production of the word is produced. Obviously this isn't a great technique for the middle of the library but in your room, you can talk as loudly as you want!

Study with a friend

Having a study partner has lots of advantages: Sharing materials, teaching each other new ways to learn, two heads are better than one for problem solving, explaining methods that you don't understand, joint research skills etc. Just remember to not get distracted and talk about irrelevant things or procrastinate...

Reward yourself

Set yourself a studying goal for the day, and if you achieve it, reward yourself. Whether that be your favourite film, or your favourite food... You could even get some of your favourite sweets and reward yourself with one after you have learnt i. e. one chapter.

Change the topics and subjects

Don't revise the same subject all day. You will become so bored with it that you won't want to look at it again and you will lose concentration. Set a certain amount of time to focus on one topic and then go back to it later on in the day. You will be able to test yourself to see if you have remembered what you learnt earlier on in the day and continue with the topic after having a break from it.

Make a plan

This is the best way to arrange your time and work out how much you need to allocate per subject per week. Be specific, instead of just naming the module, say how much you need to do. i. e. learn pages 20-40. Don't feel you have to dedicate an equal amount of time to each subject, allocate more time to your weaknesses.

Use mobile apps

We spend enough time on our phones, we might as well make that time worthwhile. There are a multitude of apps to browse through and discover which ones suit you best. There are apps specialised in creating digital flashcards, taking notes or even just tracking study habits.

Check out this website for the 12 best studying apps.

Keep clean

Keeping your study space neat and tidy. Don’t let your messy workplace impede your ability to get your work done. Scrunched up notes, messy handwriting... will only put you off studying. Clean space clean mind. Your stress levels will remain low and your productivity will be a lot better!

Healthy diet

Eating healthily goes without saying. Fruit and veg have to be a part of your diet. As well, wholegrain foods, oily fish, berries, seeds and nuts... they are your best bet! Drink plenty of water throughout the day, this will keep you more awake and refreshed than caffeine. Try to avoid binging on chocolate or fatty foods, they will just make you sleepy. Tip: Eat fish the night before an exam for that last minute brain boost.

Cap over

Read over what you have learnt at the end of every day. Set aside half an hour just to read over all your notes and mind maps. Research suggests that studying just before sleeping improves your ability to recall information. Scientists also found that when you go to sleep after learning something, you slow down the rate of memory deterioration (the rate at which you forget things) after you wake up. This suggests that getting adequate sleep is a critical part of learning something new, and helps to stabilise new memories.

Leave post-it notes around

Leaving post-it notes around the house is a great way to remember new material. Simple and efficient, post them in the rooms you go in the most, on doors, on the inside of your cupboard etc. You will be listing them off in no time. Make sure to change them after a few days once you have learnt it.

Quiz yourself

Formulating questions from your revision notes so you are forced to remember the answer. This is a triggering method that reminds you of the answer. Just remember to be logical and look for key words in the question that you ask.

Ask your tutors

Remember to contact your tutors with any questions that you have, that is what they are there for. Don't struggle silently. Ask them if they have any practice papers or if they can put any extra revision classes on. Ask them what you need to do to get the best marks, follow the marking guide etc.

Exercise

Doing regular exercise throughout your exams really helps to oxygenate the brain and release tension. You might think you don't have enough time but even just a 20 minute burst every two days will really help. Exercise releases endorphines that make you feel good, reducing stress and helping you to get good night’s sleep - but avoid stimulating activity just before bed, to give your brain time to wind down. If you don't like strenuous exercise, just aim to take a half an hour walk every day. That might be walking to campus or to the supermarket, even just getting some fresh air and getting out of the house is a plus.

Stay motivated

Making plans for after your exams gives you something to work towards and look forward to after it is all over. This is vital to remaining positive and keeping motivated. Keep telling yourself you are at university for a reason and that you deserve the end result. Give yourself credit for getting this far. Not everyone has! Also, go on YouTube and search motivational videos. Even if it isn't about studying, hearing someone talk about the intensity required for any certain passion will motivate you and spur you on.

Avoid Social Media

Log out of all social media accounts or even deactivate them if that's what it takes. They waste so much time and you find yourself on them even more during exam season! They are the most popular form of procrastination. Download the app 'SelfControl'. This automatically blocks your social media accounts for a certain set time and you can't get back onto them until this time is up.

Past papers

One of the most efficient ways of studying. After you are feeling confident with all your revision notes, put that knowledge into practice. Eleven years of research has shown us that top students do more past papers than everyone else. This is also an incentive to get all your revision notes done early. The earlier your notes are done, the sooner they can move on to quality revision strategies like past papers.

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