Fed up looking at books throughout your revision period? Don’t forget that last minute revision is also your time to enjoy this moment on the mountain peak. You’ve scaled that mound of classwork and you’ve earned the right to sit back and look around you. You may not realise it but this is an important part of the revision process.
Try a couple of revision techniques designed to work in tandem with the impressive brainwork you’re putting in.
Exercise the body and learn at the same time
Exercise is crucial. In a study done at the University of British Columbia, researchers discovered that regularly doing enough aerobic exercise to get your heart pumping appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning. If you prefer to walk, try recording your revision and pacing it out as you exercise will aid your memory retention.
Make your plans public
Let other people know where you’re up to with your studies. Placing your revision timetable somewhere public is a great trick. It invites those around you to remind you if you’re straying from the path.
Talk it through
Chatting about your subject with friends or family member can really help you to crystallise your thoughts and deepen your understanding. They don’t even have to know anything about it; they just need to be good listeners.
Sleep off the stress
You need to bank some sleep hours in the run up to the moment when you arrive at those exam hall doors. As anyone who has unwittingly drifted off at their desk will know, tiredness can really creep up on you when you least need it. A study by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research has shown that we can bank sleep to store it up in advance of a tiring event. Napping has also been shown to improve performance in the short term so you’ve got a great excuse to snooze in the pursuit of brilliance.
For more information on how to hit your exams with energy and confidence, download our free 21 Effective Study Skills package.
