Top Tips for Last Minute Exam Revision

Tips for Last Minute Revision We have all been there when we are panicking last minute for an exam the next day. It may be that you had too many exams in the same week to be able to schedule a proper revision sessions for this one, or you may have just been avoiding revision all together. Either way, here are our top tips for last minute revision: Wake up early. We know this can be difficult for any student, but it is important to try and take advantage of as much of the day as possible. Therefore this means trying to get up at a reasonable time and get started on the revision. Create a plan. Try to get organised Focus on the areas that you know will be covered in the exam and then move onto the less likely subject areas, if you have time. Create a plan of how you will tackle the day of revision and try to give an even amount of time for each of the important subject areas you need to cover. You do not want to miss an important topic completely because you ran out of time. Condense your notes and lecture slides. Go back through you lecture slides and the notes you took at the time. Follow this up by reading through the recommended reading list for each lecture to try and cover all bases. Look at past papers. Past papers can be a great insight into topics that always appear year in, year out. Try to make sure you have a rough idea on how to answer as many questions as possible. Questions do get recycled by tutors so try to cover as many as possible in case an area is repeated this time. Use colour Try to highlight and use colour throughout your exam revision notes. This can help you to remember the key information as it is normally easier for your brain to remember the design of the page, rather than the subject areas. Take breaks! Even though you have a limited time to cover all the revision topics, it is important to take regular breaks when revising. If you are sat in the same position all day, the information will just not sink in properly and the revision you do will be utterly useless the next day. When you formulate your plan, make sure you schedule regular breaks where you get away from your desk and ideally get some fresh air to clear your head a little. Eat healthy It can be tempting to eat junk food throughout your revision as you are bored. However, this can leave you feeling tired and sluggish. Instead, try and eat healthy, fresh food. There are particular foods that are known to be good for brain activity, such as, blueberries, wholegrains, tomatoes and kale. Opt for these healthy foods and treat yourself to something greasy when you finish you exam Create a cheat sheet Try to condense all your notes into one sheet with bitesize bits of important information. This way you can take this and have last look through right before you enter the exam. Stay positive! Try not to let the last minute revision panic you. It is important to enter the exam in a calm and positive manor as this will reflect the final outcome. Get a good night sleep. This is possibly the most important tip! You need to let your brain rest and have a good sleep. No matter how tempting it is to stay up all night and revise, it could be detrimental to your exam the next day! Try to get to bed before midnight and give yourself some time before bed without revising, so your brain can really shut down properly.