Revision can be tough, and motivating yourself to get work done, particularly when you have study leave and a lot of free time, can be a drag, but fortunately, as I'm in my third year at university, I feel I may have this down. Let's look at some of the ways to make real progress during the exam period.
Tip Number 1: Make a plan
Everyone suffers from time management. It doesn't matter what you decide you want to do if you don't plan accordingly to make sure you can do it. That's why you need to make a revision timetable. There are softwares for doings so on sites like the student room, however I like to make mine in Excel, to make it as personal as possible.
Timetables are one of the main things you can use to manage your time. If you work out how many hours you can feasibly give to yours subject per day, per week etc. you can then start planning how to revise in that timeframe, such as the subject you're going to cover.
Studying isn't all about the learning though. It's important to take breaks. Take my exam timetable below as an example: each cell accounts for half an hour, and each white cell indicates a break in my study time. The red cells show when I should be eating, and the grey cells show when I can take a lie in, such as on the weekends. Make sure you schedule in plenty of breaks to get some air, drink some water, or get a snack. Don't turn yourself into zombie student- believe me, I've been there, and it doesn't work.
Tip Number 2: Know your style
Everyone has a different style of learning. I myself am a visual learner, and take in a lot more from reading than from practicals or lectures. It's important you establish yourself into one of the three main groups of learning (auditory, visual, physical), so that you can find the best methods of revision for you. An auditory learner isn't going to learn much just from reading through notes; below are a few lists of ideas that work for me and my friends.
Tip Number 3: Reward yourself
As well as making sure you do as much work as you possibly can, it's important to reward yourself with treats. This can be anything from a small bite of chocolate to the occasional day off, just to make sure that you remain you during the stress and the strain.
A few things you can do to make it feel like you've achieved something is to keep a star chart to record successful days, where you've achieved a certain number of hours working, or to give yourself the evening off when you feel like you've completed all your tasks for the day. Revising is important, but looking after yourself is a major factor, too. Don't get caught up in it all, and try to remember to be human.
Tip Number 4: Know your limits
OK, so you can set up big plans for yourself and make plenty of materials to make sure you get that top grade, but some mornings you just wake up feeling like someone has smashed you over the head with a bottle of 'I hate you'. It's OK to take a break for a day, and just loll around. If you are ill, let yourself be ill. Stressing through work is not going to make you any better, and sometimes can even lead to a vicious cycle of non-productivity. Don't forget to eat healthily, drink plenty of water, and get plenty of sleep. Because at the end of the day, if you're not happy, it really just isn't worth it.