Photo courtesy of memegenerator.net
Thought I would share a few personal tips that I find useful during revision, or even just work in general.
1) Discouragements from leaving the work station
What I mean is, make it as hard as possible for you to get up to grab some water or food or notes, so that you are sat down, ready to go and some revision would eventually happen! Personally I have my notes spread all over the floor around my desk/chair with bottles of water at the ready so I don't usually need to get up for a couple of hours at a time. (Tie yourself to the chair if needs be, I wouldn't recommend tape, it leaves a right mess)
1) Discouragements from leaving the work station
What I mean is, make it as hard as possible for you to get up to grab some water or food or notes, so that you are sat down, ready to go and some revision would eventually happen! Personally I have my notes spread all over the floor around my desk/chair with bottles of water at the ready so I don't usually need to get up for a couple of hours at a time. (Tie yourself to the chair if needs be, I wouldn't recommend tape, it leaves a right mess)
2) Get into a rhythm
That't right, the keyword is "rhythm". Not just a schedule but a rhythm of working, resting, eating etc so that your body is accustomed to what "mode" it needs to be in depending on what time it is. I find a good steady rhythm helps with the grind.
3) Take frequent breaks
As already mentioned in point 2 about rhythm of working/resting, I find frequent breaks helpful and I use a timer to remind myself, 30mins or 40mins work then 10mins break, rinse and repeat. Ok I am not saying follow the timing religiously that you stop writing mid sentence when the timer goes off, but just as a rough guide for work/break/work/break. Find out what times work best for you. (There is some science to the 30/10 work break pattern, feel free to google it)
For those who use Google Chrome, here is a timer plugin to help, it even bans websites (ahem Facebook ahem) during the work period!
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/strict-workflow/cgmnfnmlficgeijcalkgnnkigkefkbhd
4) Eat well
More than half the internet would be telling you to eat well during exams period, but what is eating well? Personally I like to eat loads during exams (ok, maybe all the time but that's for another post...) including lots of snacks, but I make sure I eat/snack healthily. Yes, snacking can be healthy (at least in my mind)
That't right, the keyword is "rhythm". Not just a schedule but a rhythm of working, resting, eating etc so that your body is accustomed to what "mode" it needs to be in depending on what time it is. I find a good steady rhythm helps with the grind.
3) Take frequent breaks
As already mentioned in point 2 about rhythm of working/resting, I find frequent breaks helpful and I use a timer to remind myself, 30mins or 40mins work then 10mins break, rinse and repeat. Ok I am not saying follow the timing religiously that you stop writing mid sentence when the timer goes off, but just as a rough guide for work/break/work/break. Find out what times work best for you. (There is some science to the 30/10 work break pattern, feel free to google it)
For those who use Google Chrome, here is a timer plugin to help, it even bans websites (ahem Facebook ahem) during the work period!
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/strict-workflow/cgmnfnmlficgeijcalkgnnkigkefkbhd
4) Eat well
More than half the internet would be telling you to eat well during exams period, but what is eating well? Personally I like to eat loads during exams (ok, maybe all the time but that's for another post...) including lots of snacks, but I make sure I eat/snack healthily. Yes, snacking can be healthy (at least in my mind)
A personal favourite "inter-meal" snack, Yogurt, pineapple chunks and cornflakes.
From my GCSE biology days, I seem to remember that the brain needs a lot of sugar or energy or something to function properly, so I like to think I'm giving it all the fuel it needs for the intense learning. Yogurt+pineapple chunks+cornflakes is filling and full of sugar, works well for me :)
(Disclaimer: I am not to be held responsible if you gained 2 stones after reading this post and started eating a ton of food everyday)
5) Sleep well
There is no point pulling all nighters if you spend the next day sleeping, only to wake up at 6pm for another all nighter. Get some decent sleep which will help concentration and help stuff sink in.
If you are an Art student, a sub-species of stuents known to be nocturnal, I have bad news for you, your exams aren't going to take place at midnight! It might be a good time to set your body clock right again.
6) Remove all sources of distraction
Do this right now. Switch your phone onto silent and get rid of it, put it somewhere out of reach, get your housemate to hide it or whatever, just get rid of it for the time being. Good, now that's sorted, consider turning off your laptop as well so you can't waste time by browsing pictures of cats or scrolling the endless News Feed on Facebook. Only turn it back on when you inevitably need to look something up. Excellent, now you can focus on getting some work done.
7) The most important one - Accept reality and crack on
There is no way around it, you need to get the grades to carry on enjoying uni life next year or that job you have a conditional offer for. Just keep your head down, do the work and it will all be over in less than a month's time, quite a small price to pay for the fun that comes afterwards.
Hope you find all the tips helpful, I know its been quite a long post, thanks for reading to the end.
Best of luck guys and girls :)
PS/Disclaimer: Please don't blindly follow the tips and then come back to bite me when your exams didn't go so well because you were taking breaks too frequently and couldn't get the work done. Apply common sense.
(Disclaimer: I am not to be held responsible if you gained 2 stones after reading this post and started eating a ton of food everyday)
5) Sleep well
There is no point pulling all nighters if you spend the next day sleeping, only to wake up at 6pm for another all nighter. Get some decent sleep which will help concentration and help stuff sink in.
If you are an Art student, a sub-species of stuents known to be nocturnal, I have bad news for you, your exams aren't going to take place at midnight! It might be a good time to set your body clock right again.
6) Remove all sources of distraction
Do this right now. Switch your phone onto silent and get rid of it, put it somewhere out of reach, get your housemate to hide it or whatever, just get rid of it for the time being. Good, now that's sorted, consider turning off your laptop as well so you can't waste time by browsing pictures of cats or scrolling the endless News Feed on Facebook. Only turn it back on when you inevitably need to look something up. Excellent, now you can focus on getting some work done.
7) The most important one - Accept reality and crack on
There is no way around it, you need to get the grades to carry on enjoying uni life next year or that job you have a conditional offer for. Just keep your head down, do the work and it will all be over in less than a month's time, quite a small price to pay for the fun that comes afterwards.
Hope you find all the tips helpful, I know its been quite a long post, thanks for reading to the end.
Best of luck guys and girls :)
PS/Disclaimer: Please don't blindly follow the tips and then come back to bite me when your exams didn't go so well because you were taking breaks too frequently and couldn't get the work done. Apply common sense.
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