Writing Under The Willow

Hello everybody!

As I'm sure most of you reading this are currently studying for exams, you are most likely very familiar with the frenzy and panic on the run up to your exam dates. For some reason, I have had quite a lot of people ask me "Nadine, how do you actually study? I don't know how to," so I thought that it would be a good idea to make a list of ways to actively study, along with some other hints and tips that are very important along the way. Some methods may work for you, and others may not. It's all about trial and error to find what works best, and change can be good! I can assure you, staring at your notes while your mind is focused on what you're having for dinner is possibly one of the most useless time investments, and time is everything. By the end of this post I hope you will have discovered the right study method for you that is both effective and enjoyable. Believe it or not, studying can be great fun!

1. Make healthy lifestyle choices.




Now I know you're probably thinking "this isn't what I was looking for when I came to this post" but bear with me! This is only just the beginning. To optimise the information that your brain soaks up, it needs to be in tip top condition. You find it difficult to do anything when you're feeling ill, right? Well so does your brain. I'm no Health & Well-being teacher, so I'll just get straight to the point. Here are a few ways of improving brain power :P

• Try to eat healthy food (most of the time): I won't blabber on about fruits and vegetables and so on, you know the score. HOWEVER two foods which are specifically good to help you to concentrate are oily fish and...chocolate. Possibly the best excuse to buy chocolate in my opinion.  
• Get enough sleep: sleep is VERY important when it comes to studying. If you don't get enough sleep, you're most probably going to forget that information you spent hours trying to cram into your brain. Sleeping allows you to soak in the days events without you needing to lift a finger!

• Exercise: Whether it just be a quick walk or a trip to the gym exercise is great when it comes to studying. You could use exercise as a study break if you enjoy it that much. You could even dance about in your room (I do that pretty much every day). Anything to get you feeling great and motivated. Last year I even made up dances to help me remember certain roles in the coal mines for my history exam! Probably one of the most enjoyable study periods yet. 
• Get yourself into a routine: easier said than done. Choose what time you are going to sleep and stick to it, along with what time you plan to wake up in the morning. Your body clock needs to know what is going on. It is also advised that you do not study any later than 11pm. That's one rule I love to abide by.

 2. Plan, plan, plan


In order to keep yourself in the right frame of mind, planning is everything. Know what subject you are going to study and when you are going to study it, as well as what you are going to do when you get the books out. It is also important to know when you are NOT going to be studying. Commitments, family events, dinner time, even times when you simply don't want to study for a while, these all need to be taken into consideration before making a study plan.

I know how difficult it can be to make up a study plan on your own. That is why getrevising is an amazing tool which does all the hard work for you! You just enter what subjects you are studying, when your exams are, what times you are willing to study, any commitments and it will do the rest for you. It even schedules your breaks!

3. Use colour, CAPITALS, italics, bold


Anything to catch your eye is bound to stick in your memory. A suggestion if you want to use colour is to colour code your notes. Give everything a meaning so that your brain is making more connections. The more connections, the more likely you are to remember the information.

4. Listen to music

Now, not everyone has the ability to listen to music and stay focused, but if you do, it can be useful. You could associate certain songs with particular topics, or maybe even listening to soothing pieces can help you concentrate and stay calm if you start to stress out.  




 

5. Other associations while studying

It could be as simple as wearing a certain perfume while studying, and then wearing that same perfume in the exam hall can really help to bring back knowledge that you may have forgotten in a panic. Again, it's all about enhancing the brain connections. Wearing a certain piece of jewellery, styling your hair a certain way in the morning, it all counts as little associations we can make.

6. Find a study method that you enjoy!


Here are a few different ways to study that are much more enjoyable than reading through notes.  

• Past papers: Probably the most obvious one. It's important do work through previous exam papers so that you know the way the questions are presented and also to test yourself. Looking at the marking scheme is good too! It gives you a better idea of what the exam board is looking for when they ask a certain question. This is probably the most important method to include in your study plan.
• Mind maps: The ultimate example of making connections. It allows you to organise your notes in a succinct way so that you are only using keywords yet you are able to retain so much information all on one page.
• Summaries: If you still want to read over notes, read a section (or as much as you can in 5-10 minutes) and then write a summary of everything you have just read in the fewest sentences possible. If you are unable to write a summary or missed out any important information, start over.
• Pictograms: Personally I find this a great way to remember quotes. Draw pictures that relate to the quote, definition, or point you need to remember to give yourself an image that will stick in the back of your mind.
• Powerpoints: Pretty straight forward. You can make a powerpoint about anything you want. Whether you want to make up a bank of definitions, quotes, or just rewrite your notes.
• Post-it notes: Use post-it notes to place information that you struggle to remember around you. You will tend to look at them without even realising it. It's sort of like writing information on your hand, but with a larger canvas and more locations.
• Posters: basically a large post it note. Have fun with it! Draw pictures, use lots of colour, even use some humour! Whatever floats your creativity boat.

• Teach others: Teaching your peers is a great way to consolidate your knowledge. If you know your stuff, you should be able to explain things to others with ease, and also remind yourself in the process as sometimes you may mention things that you would have otherwise forgotten about if left unsaid. If you struggle to explain, check over that area to refresh your memory and try explaining it again. You are more likely to put the information into your own words too as you won't be reading from a textbook. To be able to express in your own words implies that you understand what you are talking about, it hasn't just been rote learned. 

7. Ask others for help

Don't feel ashamed if you don't know something. If a teacher or friend explains something to you and you still don't understand, ask them to break it down for you further. The one who asks is a fool for a moment, the one who doesn't is a fool for a lifetime.

Aaaand that's all I have for you! Good luck with exams and feel free to ask me anything if you'd like, I don't bite. :)  P.S please ignore the random change in colour at certain sections...I don't know what's happened but I'm unable to change it back to normal.