It’s that time of the year again when chills run up and down our spine. It is the dreaded exam time. Examinations have the power to make a believer of an atheist. Honestly, I become very devout during my papers. But, in my personal experience I feel that a little hard work goes a long way. Studying and mugging up is well and good, but, imagine forgetting it all at a time when it really counts.
Now, revision is something we all have been taught to practice since Kindergarten. Here I am going to tell you about how to revise efficiently. I will take you through the techniques that work and warn you about the bad and the useless.
- Early bird gets the worm
Whether you are an all-night reader or a morning person, make sure you get the revision done when you just get up after your beauty sleep. Study shows your brain is as fresh as crispy lettuce till about 2 hours since you wake up. Keep your study books handy. Use it as a reading material over your breakfast.
- Get a timetable
Organize yourself. Don’t wait till the last minute to mug up everything. Schedule your time to revise as and how you study. I mean, this is your brain we are talking about. It tends to forget. Look up on ideas on creating a timetable to suit your needs.Plan keeping the days till your examination in mind.
- Be A Picasso (Or Michelangelo)
You need to get the creative juices flowing. Stick post-its, chart papers all over the house. So, during the paper you remember that quadratic equations were on the bathroom mirror. Seeing something frequently also commits it to memory. Another good way of revising is by writing it on a whiteboard.
- Practice makes perfect
Try fitting in as many practice exam papers as possible. This will help get your mind attuned to the exam. This will also help stable your nerves during rough questions. However, as with everything, do not overdo it.
- Get cozy
Ok, not so much that you sleep off. Be comfortable while revising. Try to revise without external noise like TV or music, unless your music preference runs to Beethoven. In which case, we rate it absolutely ok. Make a quiet peaceful environment for yourself.
- Make concise colorful notes
But don’t waste the time meant for studying in coloring your notes. Use a lot of Bullet points and numbering. You can also hit online tutor sites for comprehensive revision notes.
- Sleep on it
I am not personally against using cell phone as a lullaby. But during exams you might want to utilize this time in running concepts through your head. Simply run the concepts in your head like a movie. This would help transfer what you have studied to your permanent memory. Warning! This could give you bad dreams.
- Be the teacher
As absurd as it sounds, teaching someone actually helps you retain it better. When you start talking about a concept from memory, you make sure that your brain keeps the data in-tact. Reading aloud while studying also helps in revision.This also increases comprehension.
- Love yourself
Even though you are stressed and don’t want that sandwich have it. Drink plenty of fluids and make sure you get much needed rest. If you overdo things then your brain won’t function well. Also, revising while doing cardio helps keep a firm grasp on what you study. So get those running shoes out and hit the road.
- Keep distractions away
Understand what consume your precious time. It is nothing but your cell phone, desktop, play station etc., and they can be a big diversion. Keep these things for when you are taking a break. Train yourself to keep your nose in the books when revising. It is best to keep your cellphone in the other room actually, on silent.
- Quality over quantity
Just the amount of time spent by you forcing yourself to revise or study will not achieve the desired results. It’s how you utilize your time. Think ahead. Plan your breaks around your study schedule so that you are always alert and your mind rested.
- Balance The Subjects
Keep more time aside for subjects or topics which are difficult for you. Skim over concepts that you are really great with. Make sure you divide your time judiciously. It would help if you allocate particular topics for when you are at your peak. Easy ones can be kept for later when you are about to finish off.
I hope these tricks help do the job in retaining what you have learnt. However, if your problem is that you haven’t studied anything, this would be a good time to start praying. Good Luck and don’t forget those charms!