With exam season fast approaching, we speak to WBS students to get your top tips when it comes to studying and revision. This week, Tanushree Ravikumar takes us through her top 10 tips on how to ace your exams.
From one student to another…
Exams are just around the corner and the time has arrived to get serious and focus on acing them in the best way possible! We all have different methods of studying and sometimes finding methods to suit our needs is quite difficult. But fear no more! Tailoring the following study tips to suit your lifestyle will definitely increase your chances of scoring the best grade.
1: Don’t Leave It To The Last Minute
Last minute cramming is not always the best method to approaching studies. Actually it shouldn’t be a method at all. It may feel good to put away hard topics to later but getting to them straight away will actually help you maintain a calm mindset. Organise the number of days you have left until an exam and sort out how much you will study everyday. Creating a timetable will let you plan things out effectively leaving you stress free!
2: Organise The Area You Have Picked To Study
Keep your study table neat and only with things you require. Clutter won’t help you concentrate and might even be really distracting. You want to make sure that you have created an environment that will help you bring out the best in your preparation. Even if it’s the University library, keep your little space comfortable and distraction free.
3: Use Visual Aids
Whether it’s pasting sticky notes throughout your textbook, making flow charts or mind maps, diagrammatic representations will really help remembering and recollecting important points for your exam. Colour helps spark creativity and creates strong mental connections. Investing in a highlighter is a good choice 🙂
4: Take Breaks
Step out to enjoy fresh air and the sun that is beginning to peek out throughout London a lot more between your study sessions. This will help give you a pleasant break and will give your brain time to retain all the information that has just been acquired. Even if it’s a little trip to the grocery store, it is key to lifting your spirits. Taking power naps that last within half an hour is also a good idea.
5: Reward Yourself
Every five pages, I keep a couple of Skittles to reward myself and motivate me to keep going. This little reward system actually works as it’s something to look forward to. You could try with gummy bears or any tasty treat of your choice.
6: Regularly Hydrate
Drinking water is one of the most important tips as this promotes high brain functioning. Try adding a few lemon slices or little chunks of raspberries to add that zesty or fruity flavour you require to get you to keep taking regular sips.
7: Keep Distracting Objects Away
Yes, this means your smartphone. I understand that your Instagram Feed is calling out to you to check it, but trust me, Put. It. Away. It will lead to wasting valuable study time and losing your focus.
8: Don’t Try Pulling An All-Nighter
When you sleep, your brain begins to assimilate all the information you have learnt through the day. Getting a good night’s rest before the night of your exam is vital for a good performance.
9: Make Study Groups
Meet up with your friends once in a while to test each other or explain difficult answers. Teaching is the best way of learning and learning from friends will help you comprehend something in an easier manner. Besides, what better way to get something as monotonous as studying done, when you can do it with friends? But remember this could derail you from your goal, so keep it specific and at scheduled times.
10: The Exam Day
Make sure you have checked where and when your exam is. Given how erratic our Tube can get sometimes with sudden delays or station shutdowns, give yourself enough time to get to the examination room. Also, make sure you have the stationery you need such as a calculator for instance, the day before. Being punctual will get you in the right state of mind to perform really well.
I wish all the University of Westminster students the best for the upcoming exams and I hope that these tips will help you ace it! Last but not least, the best way to motivate yourself is to stop stressing about what will happen when things go wrong and start thinking about how awesome life will be when they go right.
Many thanks to Tanushree Ravikumar for these brilliant exam tips! Tanushree is a friendly and enthusiastic first year Undergraduate studying at the Westminster Business School.
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