Exams

Monday 22 May 2017

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF REVISION




I, alike many others, have always struggled with revision. I didn't know how to use my time well and optimise revising to its full potential to gain as much information as possible. I have since found the perfect solution to my problem which is - organisation is key.

I really love notebooks. No, I really really do love them - I have a very big collection of them in a huge storage box under my bed. I don't know what it is, but I love buying stationary and using it up, I find it so satisfying! Are you like this at all?

My favourite way of revising is writing up notes in different colours. For example, if you need to learn about a theory then write it down in either black or blue, and then use red for the disadvantages and green for the advantages. I do this for the majority of my modules at uni, especially History of British Social Policy as it involves a lot of Prime Ministers and their accomplishments and failures.

Flashcards are always a good idea. Once you've finished writing up your notes, you should condense them into bullet points and write them on flash cards, so when you read that sentence you automatically remember everything you've learnt about it, and if you need a reminder then use the other side of the card to write the answers!

It's always useful to ask somebody to test you. Just give them a list of key words and ask them to read them out loud which you will then reply with the correct definition.

I also like to use dividers in textbooks where I find certain quotes or theorists that I want to include in my exams. Colour coding also works if you want to separate radical theorists from democrats etc. Make sure you take breaks every 30-45 mins of intense revision, or every hour if you're doing light revision. I like to switch my wifi off and only check my phone once I feel happy with my notes.

What are your pro tips for optimising revision? Do you use any methods I mentioned above?

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Saturday 25 June 2016

How To Stay On Top Of Revision - Top Last Minute Revision Hacks

Hi Everyone!

Today's post is aimed at those who hate revising and usually leave it til last minute only to regret it - aka me.
I'm usually very organised when it comes to revision and create a timetable for it so I can achieve the highest grades possible. Due to lack of revision I actually forced myself to stay a year behind at sixth form as I changed my a levels at the end of the first year as I really did not get on with the teachers and subjects themselves. My original choice of subjects was:
-History
-English Language
-Sociology
-ICT
Which I then substituted History and Sociology for Media Studies and Psychology and I can honestly tell you all that staying on an extra year was one of the best decision I had made for myself. Unfortunately I did have to pick up another subject in my third year, which was Business Studies however it wasn't too bad and the workload was tiny compared to ICT.

My first year at uni was a rollercoaster of ups and downs and at the end it turned out okay and I can't wait to start year 2 in September as I know I'll be more determined to achieve nothing but a 1.0.

But, this post isn't about my experience at school but about tips I can share with you that should help you while revising last minute before the exam.


Clear work space - a very important tip which as you can see above I did not yet master myself. However to my defence I was actually printing some texts out to read and highlight so I didn't need that much space! But if you have a clear desk and lay out your revision materials you'll be more focuses on getting your work done rather than procrastinate by looking or touching the things around you.

Don't panic - you probably have a few days left before your exam so take it easy and try and revise as much as you can. Cramming info doesn't usually work but only if you do it wrong. If I'm running out of time before an exam I tend to read my notes out loud as I find it helps me remember them better. You could also try and teach a family member or a friend the topics you need to learn as this way you'll be talking about it more and it'll be on your mind as well as the family member gaining some wisdom!


Using coloured pens to make notes - I have noticed that this is my favourite thing to do! If you use one colour e.g. Blue to write up an event that occurred such as WW2 then use red to write the cons and green to write the pros of this event. You can do the same with approaches and treatments used in Psychology etc.

Block out noise - I usually listen to classical music while revising as its relaxing and there's no lyrics to distract me or make me sing along! It's best if you also put headphones on rather than listen to the music on full blast on the radio as it will cause chaos in your head and demotivate you to get on with your work.


Flash cards - I think that flash cards are a great way of remembering things. They're really simple to write up too and you can test yourself by asking a family member to ask you questions from them. E.g. Write down on one side saying 'WW2' and then on the other the main events and timeline of the war which you'd have to remember.

Drink lots of water - it's very important that you stay hydrated while revisin as studies have shown that drinking plenty of water keeps your brain going and you actually tend to take in more than you would if you weren't drinking it.


Taking breaks - it's very important that you take breaks in between revision sessions so your brain doesn't go blank. I usually do around 45 minutes of revision in one go and then give myself a 15 minute break to go on my phone and get something to eat etc.

I hope these have helped as that's what I like to do when I don't have much time left before an exam. Good luck for the exams and results day guys!

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Sunday 12 April 2015

How to become more organised

Hey beauties!
I've never been an organised person in my life. Whenever I attempt to motivate myself to be organised at the beginning of an academic year it all goes down the drain pretty fast... I'm talking like a week tops. But the other day I bought quite a lot of stationary as I wanted to get organised just in time for my exams.
First of all, make sure you have a to-do list of things you would like to get done in a day/week/month and make sure you stick to it. I usually write down a bullet-pointed list of things I want to get done in a day, e.g. revision and coursework and then when I've done it I highlight or cross the task out so I feel like I've accomplished something great.
Another great idea is to buy a weekly planner and a packet of star shaped stickers like I've done. What I do with it, is write down daily tasks and put a sticker next to each task after I have done it so when I have a certain amount of stars at the end of the month I can treat myself to a high end products for working hard. So far it's been paying off slightly as I've become more determined to revise more.
Make sure you always have enough pens in different colours so you can annotate your notes in different topics etc. A refill pad is always helpful when you want to make a list of upcoming blog posts especially if you order them by dates or alphabetically.
I usually make posters and mind maps and put them all around the house so whenever I am doing something like brushing my hair I will look at my notes and revise them in my head. This is very helpful if your exams have a lot of context you need to learn so topics like history, psychology and geography.
Flashcards are the next best thing after mind maps. They are so helpful when it comes to revision as you can get someone to ask you questions about certain events or theorists which you then answer to ensure you know EVERYTHING. Also, make sure you keep all your files sorted out by topics and dividers in a folder, keep it all hole punched and stapled to keep all important documents together.

What are your favourite ways of keeping organised/revising?

Have you entered my MAC lipstick giveaway yet? You have until May 1st to do so!

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Sunday 22 February 2015

MAC Lipstick Giveaway

Hey lovelies,
I am so sick and tired of college, revising for my A-levels and preparing to go uni this year. I wish I could go on holiday abroad with my younger sister for at least 2 months :/ But I do have one holiday to look forward to! I am going to Crete in August for two weeks with my family eek! I am also planning on going to Barcelona or Turkey with my boyfriend this year. I love to travel, it is my most favourite thing to do in my spare time. All I need to do is put away some pennies and set the date! My other favourite thing to do to lift my mood is buy new make-up, especially when it's MAC. I have 7 MAC lipsticks so far and I won't stop until I have the whole lot. Which one is your favourite? My favourite at the moment is Viva Glam Miley but it changes weekly as I don't like to wear the same colour too often. I do need a new nude lippy so I am looking forward to Cinderella edition to come out this May! So, I have decided to do this giveaway for you guys, no matter if you're sitting your exams soon or are stressed out from uni work etc. But to cheer you up. This giveaway will be for 3 months until May exams and I will reveal the winner on the 1st of May so it can be shipped and delivered to you before your exams begin. You will be able to choose what shade and finish you would like ( if you want to wait for Cinderella's lipstick to come out, let me know and I will send you that one). I am hoping to gain more followers from this and ensure that exams don't stress you out too much!
  
l-r - Viva Glam Lady Gaga, Viva Glam Miley Cyrus, Rebel, Up The Amp, Rose Lily, Flamingo, Brave.




a Rafflecopter giveaway
Lots of love,
Maya xo
© VOGUE BY MAYA. Design by Fearne.