We’ve all heard that saying before: ‘you get what you put in.’ However, there may be times where you feel that no matter how much time and effort you spend on that one topic, you just it wish never existed. Sadly, you still end up with that big red ‘F’ on the front of your test paper. But never fear! I have listed below some of the best ways to help boost up those grades and make learning more enjoyable than you think it to be…

1. Put that phone down!

We’ve ALL done it before, wanting to spend a few minutes on our phone scrolling and replying to our friend’s messages. Before you know it, hours have passed and you’ve still not picked up your pen to write the title down. It’s the biggest AND most common distraction for all students which leaves many people regretting the small amounts of effort put into their revision (I may be speaking from experience). Try to reduce time on your phone. This will help you become a more focused reviser and make you realise how much unnecessary time is spent on there too!

2. Have a revision technique

It’s completely okay to have different methods to revise for different subjects. My recommendation is to have a technique best fit for that subject or topic. For example when it comes to memorising the definitions of words, flashcards are your best friend! There are also many resources available online for free (better make use of that phone wisely) so do not limit yourself to only one way of revising. Explore your choices and find the one which best suits your taste.

3. Struggling to find a revision technique?

No problem! One of the best revision techniques I’ve learnt through my years of studying is the two-colour technique:

1. Make your revision notes in your preferred format i.e mind maps / flashcards
2. The day after (or even a few hours later) try to recall everything you remember on a piece of paper using a coloured pen
3. Now with another colour, correct or add any additional information to your piece of paper

By using this method, you reduce your time spent on the learning you are
confident with and can focus your time more on the information you wrote using the second colour.

4. Quality over Quantity

As much as we all want to quickly rush to get our work over and done with, you are less likely to perform better compared to someone who puts in more effort but for a shorter period. You could organise your day using a checklist of what needs to be done, or a timetable for the long run is considered a useful revision tool to help you revise all the subjects you need before the big day. Water is a necessity to keep the mind active so try to have a water bottle on you when studying. When revising multiple subjects, spread them out within the week so your memory will strengthen every time you return back to that area of learning.

5. Understand → Condense → Review

This is something which I have personally made up from my years of experience as a student but has helped me understand how simple and easy revision can be when done correctly. By properly understanding the topic, you can confidently recall it back without confusion which is a LOT better than memorising a sentence word to word (which you would forget in a week’s time). After fully understanding the topic area, condense it all using flashcards because the information is all in one place and can be learnt wherever you go for a quick review. It’s a simple and straightforward
learning method which can be embedded in your current revision, so you do not have to completely disregard your ongoing study plan.

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of this blog (without getting distracted by your phone, I hope!). Keep in mind, these are a few of my top revision tips which will positively change your mindset towards learning and leave you less frustrated during these times. They are completely optional but if you do decide to take any of these tips into consideration, I hope you will feel a positive difference being made into your study routine.

And here is something to keep you motivated no matter what: ‘a little goes a long way.’