Friday 10-05-2019 - 10:24

Don’t let the exam season destroy your brain, use these revision tips to stay on the top of your game.

Find your study paradise

Maybe you need a quiet place to get in your best headspace, or perhaps the hustle and bustle of a city centre café is the only place where you can actually focus. Try to figure out what works best for you then choose the best place where you feel comfortable and can get work done.

For somewhere pin-drop quiet, the library can work with its silent study floors, or you could book a room out for yourself at The Union. For somewhere more bustling, try a co-working space in the city like Ziferblat, or maybe give the central library a go. 

The effort of looking is totally worth it — when you find your own killer revision spot, you’ll see your productivity soar. 

Eliminate the distractions

Chatty housemates, loud family members, pinging phones — distractions are everywhere. Fight against the tide and engineer your revision space with as few distractions as possible. Turn off the TV, switch your phone on silent, tell your mates you’ve gone home for the weekend — do whatever it takes to regain control of the noise that’s getting in your way. 

Tech as a help rather than a hindrance

The internet and tech in general are the worst offenders in the attention war, but with a little bit of care they can also be repurposed for good. There are loads of free apps that can keep your revision on track. Set usage limits on how much you’re on your phone with the Stay Focusd app or if that’s not enough, you can choose a stricter approach and block the worst offending websites and apps that act as your attention kryptonite. (Stay Focusd also have a chrome plug-in that can block all your time-wasting websites.) This might sound extreme, but desperate times call for desperate measures.  

Be prepared before you panic

Picture this: it’s the morning of your exam, you’re in a stress, you’re tearing through house trying to hunt down your lucky pair of socks. Don’t let this be a reality — settle your pre-exam nerves by putting everything you need in a neat pile the night before, so you can just pick it up in the morning and you’re ready to go. The last thing you want to be doing on exam day is losing your laser-like concentration in a haze of last-minute anxiety. 

Take some time out 

There’s no doubt that exams can be a busy and stress filled time, so it’s also really important that you remember to look after yourself.  Take regular breaks and get as much rest as you can during this hectic time — your body and brain will thank you for it. Self-care can be as simple as going for a walk, meeting a friend or listening to your favourite music, but it’s important that you rest, recharge and spend some time doing things for yourself. Even simple things like making your room feel a bit cosier can help you chill out and put you in the best headspace — put away your floordrobe, light a couple of candles and take some time out for some well-deserved self-care.