Exam Revision: The Ultimate Do and Don’ts

By Emily (she/her), Natalia (she/her) and Monika (she/her)

If you’re meant to be revising but have clicked onto this blog instead, then some people might say you’re procrastinating. Are they right? Could be! Buttttttt…. this might just be the most productive procrastination of your life, as we’re coming at you with the ultimate dos and don’ts for effective revision.

DO figure out what type of learner you are. “Knowing how you retain information will make revising much easier. If you’re a visual learner, you might want to draw diagrams or create posters. Auditory learners will wanna record voice notes or make up songs, while writing learners will prefer to re-write and re-read things. Literally anything goes so long as it works for you.” — Natalia 

DO work with background noise. “Instrumental pop covers are my soundtrack of choice, because the music is familiar enough that it doesn’t distract me, but not so catchy I stop working to sing. If I can’t find the right playlist I’ll put on a YouTube video with a title like ‘Three hours of aesthetic cottage noise’ or ‘Cosy library sounds in a storm to study to’. Yes, the names are dumb but I can’t deny that they get results. It also gives you a fixed end goal: you stop revising when the sound stops. So go forth, and live your best Studytube life!” — Emily

DO drink plenty of water. “Staying hydrated is actually proven to help you focus and stay concentrated, so now’s a good time to become a fan of the H2O.” — Monika

DO take regular breaks. “You can’t spend all your time revising — I definitely learned this the hard way. Sleep, socialising, eating and drinking well, self-care, doing things you enjoy are all so important, especially when exam season rolls around. If you struggle to take breaks, the Pomodoro Technique is really helpful. When it comes to revision, I definitely vote for quality over quantity!” — Natalia

DO romanticise it. “Light a candle, whip out some colour-coordinated sticky tabs, and dress like the nerd of your dreams. This stops revision from becoming a laborious grind, and transforms it into something more appealing.” — Emily  

DO cultivate a positive mindset. “I like to scribble down little positive affirmations before I begin a revision session, just to get my mind into a positive place. So I might write ‘I’m smart and bright, I’ve got this’, or ‘Today I want to push myself and really do my best’. Don’t overthink it, or worry about being cheesy, just write down whatever makes you feel good about yourself” — Monika

AND…THE DON’TS

DON’T stay in the same position for too long. “Get up and move around, maybe even take a walk outside or have a five minute dance session, as it’ll get your blood pumping and help your mind and body relax.” — Monika 

DON’T keep the stress bottled up. “If you’re feeling stressed, talk to someone about it. There’s often so much pressure around exams, so it’s understandable to feel stressed and worried. But acknowledging your emotions and talking about it with others can help you to not get too overwhelmed or distressed by it all.” — Monika

DON’T compare yourself with others. “Everyone’s different, so you’ll work in different ways and at different speeds to your friends, and that’s all good.” — Natalia

DON’T worry about negative outcomes. “You can only do your best, so put your energy and focus into revision rather than worrying about any worst-case scenarios.” — Monika 

And lastly…DON’T give up! “If you feel like you’re behind, remember that it’s never too late to start and even the smallest bit of revision will make a difference.  You’ve got this!” — Natalia