It’s November, spring is springing, and the beach is calling, but for many, this time of year only means one thing: exam season. Whether you’re in Year 11 or getting your third degree, studying and acing your exams can be hard, so here are some study tips and routines that will guarantee you an A+.
Lazy day routine
If you’ve had a big day (or a big night), and you don’t have the energy for anything, but that revision still won’t do itself, a low-energy study session is on the cards for you. My biggest lifesaver has always been the Pomodoro method! It can be as little as 15 minutes on, five minutes off – just frequent breaks to help keep you on task and energised. Try to keep your breaks scroll-free; just use them to rest your brain and refocus before continuing.
For the STEM students
Science and maths-based subjects are all about knowing the facts, so you want to work on different methods of memorisation. Flashcards are the obvious first choice, and I am very partial to Quizlet. Quizlet lets you make your own flashcards or study sets made by others on the same subject. It can also test you on what you have learnt at the end of a session, or give multiple-choice answers when you’re just at the beginning of a topic. Active recall is another great way to strengthen your memory. Close your book and write down everything you remember on each topic, and then go through what you have nailed versus what needs more work.
Essay practice
For essay-based subjects like English or media studies, practice paragraphs are the way to go. Use past papers for sample questions, and time yourself either by making essay plans or writing complete paragraphs. The most important thing to have down is the structure, so you know that when the exam comes around, you’re not going to miss anything. I like to use a simple paragraph structure that includes a simple introductory sentence, evidence from the text I have studied, analysis of the evidence and then concluding ideas. Once you have this down, you can edit and expand to an excellence-level essay.
For subjects like English and media, where you know exactly the text you’ll be writing about, whether it be a film, book, or something else, use your revision time to make a bank of quotes or themes that you know inside and out that can be applied to an array of different questions.
Study your least favourite subject
Sometimes, we don’t always love everything we study, and that can make for a very difficult time in revising. For me, I could not stand learning French, but that didn’t mean the exams didn’t still creep closer. It can be easier to avoid the subjects you don’t like, but you really won’t thank yourself in the future. Instead, start every study day with the subject you hate. Getting it out of the way will make you feel better, and you can try to make it fun. A study group (ideally with people in the same level of misery as you) will ease the pain, and you will all do better when you hold each other accountable.
Lastly, use the internet!
There are so many great resources online from people teaching or learning the exact same subjects as you that will make studying so much easier or more fun. Find websites that turn topics into games, or have compiled subjects into cheat sheets you can benefit from while putting in minimal effort yourself.
Exams can be a nightmare, but they are also totally achievable when you set yourself up for success, so stay focused and good luck!
Channel Mag's NEW youth contributor, Emily Gunston, brings a fresh monthly feature to our pages to inspire and advise our younger North Shore readers. If there are any topics you'd like to read about, contact Liz at liz@channelmag.co.nz, and our fledgling writer will research and write engaging articles specifically for our younger (at heart) readers.
