21 Exam Booster Tips – Day 4
10. Revise on the go!
Make use of the time you spend travelling each day by keeping flashcards of key points from each of your subjects with you at all times. Whether your journeys are made by bus, or train, last hour, or half – make every minute count by taking flashcards with you. Write out the cards in advance of your journey by writing questions on one side, and answers on the other. This way you can test yourself quickly on the move! At the end of the week, collate all cards and try to answer all of the questions – put the cards in two piles as you answer them; in the first pile will be the cards you answer correctly, and in the second will be those you answer incorrectly. Add the incorrectly answered cards into your fresh sets of cards for the next week, and keep them in the set until you can answer them accurately.
11. Stay motivated! Remember exams are steppingstones to your future.
Exams are not a means within themselves – they are stepping-stones to your future. Whenever you feel unmotivated, think about what you want to achieve in the future. Whatever job you wish to have will require you to be able to demonstrate skills you acquire whilst sitting your exams – whether it be the ability to write clearly, problem-solve, or merely manage your time effectively. Make a simply motivational poster to stick above your desk whilst you are revising – it could contain a couple of pictures to help remind you what you are striving towards by working hard for your exams.
12. Time is marks! Time yourself to gain the true benefits of completing past papers.
It is recommended that students complete past papers as part of their revision strategy – however, whilst this is an effective exercise, many students fail to complete the papers in timed conditions. The true benefit of completing past papers can only be gained if they are completed within the time allowed during the examination period. One of the main areas in which good students lose marks is their inability to apportion their time adequately within the exams, leading to them running out of time for the final questions. It is often the final questions that hold the most marks! Equally, when you receive your paper in the exam, work out the appropriate amount of time required for each question, and then write down the exact time at which you need to move onto the next question on one of the planning pages of your exam booklet. This will ensure adequate time is allotted to each section of the paper.