Revision

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
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