A-Levels looming next year? Want to avoid last minute revision panic? Plan Ahead!
Here are our top tips to ensure you get the exam results you want without staying up all night, or getting behind with Hollyoaks!
One year to go…
Our best tip is to create a year long plan which includes all your A-Level subjects and the examination dates. Calendar apps are great for this, as is the calendar that comes with your e-mail software. You can also use Excel, or if you don’t have access to Microsoft Office, you can use the free spreadsheet app hosted on Google Drive. My advice is to create a monthly timetable, something you will keep and refer to throughout the year. Pick a colour for each of your A-Levels and divide your week up into coloured blocks. Mark down any other weekly commitments, so you know exactly how much free time you have left. This ensures that you spend a whole evening revising each subject, so everything gets covered. Oh and remember to give yourself a night off!
The key here is that it shouldn’t bet too full on, you’re just getting your revision started. By getting yourself into the habit of revising regularly, and only in short bursts, you’ll find that it never gets too stressful. You will be retaining information a lot better than if you suddenly start cramming hard just a few weeks before your exams. Remember, slowly but surely.
Two months to go…
Around 8-10 weeks before your exams begin, you’re going to want to step this plan up a little. Instead of planning one subject per evening, divide your evenings into hourly slots for different topics. Prioritise the topics you find hardest or struggle to remember, these may need 2/3 hour slots rather then a half hour refresher. Be strict about the deadlines you give yourself, and slightly increase the amount of work you’re going to be doing. At this point its probably advisable to switch to a weekly schedule for revision so you can really start to utilise your time as best as possible. Same as before, you can do this using a simple calendar app or spreadsheet software.
Two weeks to go…
This is where you might start to feel the pressure, it’s exam fortnight. But revision doesn’t have to be stressful. Get up early and set yourself a timetable for the day. Be sure to give yourself plenty of regular breaks (around 10 minutes every hour should be good) and a decent portion of time for lunch.It’s important to do something that takes your mind off revision completely, such as watching a TV show or wandering round the shops. Finally, remember to get an early night before each exam
Good luck, and remember to leave room in your calendars for (our) open days!
