Introducing The Next Generation Of Leaders And Thinkers

7 Ways to Revise More Efficiently

In a society where the overbearing demands of educational success is hurled at us from every possible direction – parents, teachers, our inner desires to achieve – I come to raise the question; are we actually revising efficiently?

As an average fifteen year old student burdened for the next few months as I prepare for a milestone in my educational existence (as dramatic as all my teachers put it) – my GCSEs (if you’re British, you’ll know my pain) – I often find myself being questioned how I manage to keep up such high grades in all my subjects, despite only spending a maximum of nine hours a week revising. Here are my top tips for revising efficiently:

1) Get rid of your revision timetables.

I’ve come across one or two people who have actually gone the great lengths to create a fully-fledged systematic revision timetable for their revision, but have yet to meet a single person who has actually been able to stick to one. Timetables are often never kept to anyways, rendering them a waste of time to make. Rather make a checklist of what you’re hoping to finish that day, on that day. Set realistic goals and spread work out evenly.

2) Don’t overwhelm yourself with work. 

You will end up hating the concept of learning and you will only retain a fraction of what you have just spent hours slaving away to. Your brain is no NASA-tweaked robot; it can only handle so much before it shuts down. Overworking yourself will only serve to reduce sleep quality, drain your motivation, cause muscle aches and so on. Do a maximum of four hours of work a day on weekends and two on school days.

3) Work productively, not exhaustively.

Make it work for you. Tailor your work so that you are learning what you need to learn in a way that your brain can code so it can actually help you. Revision tips your teachers give you might not work for you and that’s okay. Everyone learns in different ways. For example, if you’re artistic (or not), couple your notes with imagery to use as mental cues. Go over past papers, watch videos, whatever helps you. Be pragmatic. At the end of the day, it is you who must know the content, no one else.

4) Turn your music off.

Some prefer working with something playing, but it has scientifically been proven that studying with music on can interfere with short term memory and impairs performance, according to Perham’s study (2010). Working in a silent condition is optimal for learning.

5) Water. Water. Water.

Water increases alertness, decreases fatigue, prevents cramps and so on, so always have a cold bottle of water with you. The only negative I find with this one is that I usually spend half my revision time desperate to pee, but the benefits are nonetheless endless.

6) Ask for help if you need it.

Adapt a growth mind-set and know that your teachers and friends are there to help you in your development as a person and as a student. Asking for extra help shows you are eager to learn and I guarantee it will greatly improve your grades. Ignore the people that insult you for wanting to do extra work and know that the people that are mocking you now will be the people that will be working for you in ten years’ time.

7) Love what you study and enjoy learning.

I know what you’re thinking; how on earth am I meant to love that dastard, monstrous quadratic formula? What I meant was you should anticipate the little thrill you feel in your stomach when you finally understand something you have struggled on for so long. The internet is a great resource to read around subjects you enjoy. If you like history, watch historical films. You’ll learn a lot more things without realizing, because of the simple fact that you are enjoying it.

Related Posts