GCSE Revision Advice | Special Update

Since exam season is coming up, I would like to share some of my advice for revision to help you be prepared, stay focused and do well in your upcoming exams!

When you think of exams, I assume your first thought would be stress because all your precious time are being used up, going through a topic over and over again to get it ingrained in your mind. I know, it's aggravating. But, honestly, you're going to need to get used to it if you want to do well in your exams! 

To help you handle the stress you'll be feeling throughout exams season, I suggest meditation. Meditation is a wonderful practice that has many benefits. It will help you clear your mind, calm you down, relieve you of any anxiety or anger or even depression, make you more aware of your physical being and sharpen your focus. I believe practicing meditation is a necessity in life and practicing it daily will keep you mentally and physically healthy - so meditating on a daily basis, perhaps during your breaks or in the mornings, will help you stay focused and mentally prepared for your exams!

I like to use this app called Stop, Breathe and Think. I've been using the app to meditate for about a week or two now and I've noticed a big difference! Before I discovered it, I've been having small panic attacks (mainly because I was hella nervous for my final drama performance) and because of that I wasn't able to focus on my studies and I kept procrastinating. But using this app has made me so calm and it had a positive impact on my performance in my drama exam! 

Via http://www.stopbreathethink.org/?

Another way to revise well is to be organised. Before starting your revision, first make a list of the subjects that you need to study in order with your weakest subject at the top. This will help you determine which subjects you need to study the most and will therefore save you a lot of time. 

Once you have made your list, you can create a revision timetable. Add the subjects you're revising in the time that's appropriate for you with breaks in between. Make sure you're studying at least 3 hours a day - over working yourself will only make you more stressed and tired. And, have at least a day off from revising. You can't just spend all your time revising - have some fun every once in a while (but not too much)! 

An example: my revision timetable c:

Organisation is key to revising well!

Studying in a quiet place is best for your revision. This will keep you focused on your work without distractions. One good example of a quiet place to revise in is the library - they even have the books and resources you may need for revision! 

Revising in the same environment as the environment of the exam you're taking will help you improve your memory. So I suggest going to the library is best if you want to do well! 

Get the right textbooks. If you're doing GCSE's, it's best to know what exam board your subject is from so you can get the right textbook to study from. Revising with the correct books will familiarise you with what kind of questions they'll have in the exam and the recommended exam technique to use to gain full marks. 

For example, Religious studies is from the exam board Edexcel. Getting a textbook from Edexcel would be useful because it contains the exam technique to use, what kind of question they'll be asking and all the information you need to learn for the exam and the units to study.

Organise your revision notes in a binder. Doing this will make revising much easier, quicker and less stressful as everything you need to know is all in one place. And organising the notes to its correct topic or subject will make it easier for when you need to refer back to something!

Last but not least, talk to your teachers. If you're stuck on a particular part of the subject, then always ask your teachers for help and guidance! You can come to them at lunchtimes or after school and ask them for individual tutoring or past papers or advice for the exam! 

I hope you find this helpful and if you have any other tips and advice for revising well, then please feel free to share them!

If you also have further questions or you want more advice, feel free to drop a message here.

Nicole ᵔᴥᵔ

Special Update

I would like to announce that I have a post up on Natalie's blog! It's about my passion for art and I would really love it if you checked it out!