Send Procrastination Packing with these Top Revision Tips

We’re in the middle of exam season and students all over the UK are busy locking themselves away to revise. But the temptation to have a peek on Facebook, message friends or simply stare out of the window can put the most committed scholar off track.

Our tips are here to help you out, so you can fly through the exams and enjoy the summer ahead.

Get organised

This not only means making sure your study area is clean and tidy. But it also means listing everything in order of priority. Work out a timetable of all the items you need to learn relating to the time order of your exam schedule. Then do a sub-list of topics that will crop up in the exam. In this sub-list, make a list of those topics that you need to tackle first. Some highlighters and a whiteboard will help with this.

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Time yourself

If you find yourself drifting off into dreamland, start timing yourself. Give yourself five minutes or so to read the page in question, or remember the phrase/equation/formula etc. Once five minutes has beeped on your timer, you’ll have more than likely settled into ‘The Zone’.

B&M Top Tip: Timing is incredibly valuable - use this whenever you find yourself daydreaming, or if you need to settle back into concentration.

Get a study buddy

Study buddies are really useful, but we don’t recommend you revise everyday with them. What we do advise to do is meet up to discuss what you’re revising a few weeks before the exam. That way, you get to pick up on anything you’ve overlooked, and you might be able to let them in on things you’ve learnt along the way. Use sticky notes to mark down relevant pages and snippets.

B&M Top Tip: Test, and re-test each other. Concentrate on topics you're struggling with, and don't forget to ask for help.

Past papers

Past papers are the closest thing you will get to seeing your exam paper before the day, so it makes sense to do as many as possible. There are some great resources online to access papers from years gone by, and they are a really good way of getting your head on the right track for the exam ahead. Use these note stickers to bookmark sections you need to go over again.

B&M Top Tip: Use pencils on these past papers, so you can re-use them and share them around friends.

Have a schedule

Your school life is based on a tight schedule. You need to be in at a certain time, study for a certain time and enjoy breaks mid-morning and at lunch. If possible, keep to this schedule when revising. Be strict with yourself and treat revision days like a school day. Plot out your schedule in a study book, and pin up in a visible area. It might be worth doing a second copy for the kitchen so the rest of your household has an idea of your timetable.

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Make time for rest, meals and exercise

Like school, you need to make time for leisure, exercise and eating. Having a balanced day will make you calmer, more focused and organised. Exercise will allow you to reflect on what you have learnt, dinner times are a chance to refuel with healthy balanced meals and rest is vital for mind, body and soul.

B&M Top Tip: Research has proven chewing gum helps increase levels of concentration, so keep a pack ready!

Treat yourself

Once a week, organise an event for you and your friends. This can be a trip to the cinema, a meal out or a bowling session – anything where you can escape the revision notes and have fun with your friends. This will give you something to look forward to when you’re feeling snowed under.

B&M Top Tip: Don't make it a late one though - leave those nights for after the exams!

Hide your mobile phone

Your mobile phone is your passport to the world – you can message friends, check Facebook, look at the weather forecast, waste twenty minutes on Instagram – basically, it’s one big distraction. Stick it in a cupboard downstairs and check it on your breaks. You’ll do a whole lot more without it.

B&M Top Tip: Encourage your friends to do the same so you're not missing out long threads of distracting Whatsapp conversations!

Are you in the middle of revision hell? What are your study tips? Share them with the B&M community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.