This month we hit exams and it’s serious revision time for all students especially GCSE, A2 and A Level students. But it’s also the time of year when most people struggle with revision. We asked some of our students why they find revising particularly hard – do you relate to any of these answers?
– My friends seem to have everything under control and want me to go out
– I’m tired and feel I need a break [always!]
– It’s great now the weather’s getting better, but I don’t want to be stuck indoors
– I’m finding revision boring so always find better things to do
– This far into the year I’ve just lost my motivation
– I don’t get it/understand the subject(s)
– The exams are still a few days/weeks off and I’m not worried
– The exams are really close and I’m panicking and it’s stopping me working
Because these are the most common problems (or excuses!) we hear at 121 Home Tutors we thought we’d tackle each one.
My friends seem to have everything under control and want me to go out
Chances are they aren’t being wholly truthful with you and are just as scared as you. Maybe they are burying their hand in the sand a bit? If you need to revise then you need to stand strong – but there’s no reason you can’t plan your social life into your revision schedule, in fact breaks are incredibly important. Or how about suggesting a study group with friends?
I’m tired and feel I need a break [always!]
We’ll admit things can get a bit tricky when exams approach and the days merge into one with nothing other than revision and more revision to do but it’s ok to have some time off, the trick is not to let things slide so much you end up having two weeks off and then trying to cram all the work into the weekend before an exam. Think about setting a small amount of time aside each day (how about an hour in the evening when everyone is winding down?) or schedule time off in your plan and then stick to it.
It’s great now the weather’s getting better, but I don’t want to be stuck indoors
There’s no rule which says you have to revise indoors or at a desk. Grab your books or laptop and find yourself a sunny spot in the garden or park. Taking any form of exercise will help to keep you mentally fresh so ensure you’ve got outside breaks planned into your revision days. Remember you don’t have to be stuck to a book the whole time, you could put notes on your ipod and listen while you walk or invest in downloads from itunes. If you need more maths revision tips have a look here.
If you’d like to know how you deal with the most common revision problems then watch out for the second part of the Please help me revise blog (please help me revise part 2).
If you’re struggling with revision for exams and you’re looking for a tutor in Manchester, Stockport or Wilmslow Cheshire areas (we cover areas including Altrincham, Stretford, Didsbury and Hale) then contact 121 Home Tutors.
Tags: help me revise, how to revise, preparing for exams, Revision tips, tutor