Studying Tips

 I finally finished very important exams and I can celebrate with the World Cup! Yay! Below are some of my studying tips that I hope will be useful and please comment below if you have tips! I don’t want to be too political but in my view, the current education system isn’t the greatest, however, we should all use it to our advantage and make the most out of it. I might have a long journey to school, and I may not have the best teachers, but at least I don’t have to take dangerous or fatal journeys to school, where I cross unstable bridges and come back by night or I don’t have to work after school to take care or my family and my teachers don’t beat us up if we get the wrong answer. That is my main motivation to do better at school, it’s the fact I have the gift of education so I better make the most out of it. Education is power, a piece of paper (certificate) is power in this day and age, whether we like it or not…

My studying tips: 

• Have suitable time intervals for YOU. Do you have an attention span of 10 minutes? Do you like to take 10 minute breaks every 30 minutes? Or do you just like to have your head down for 4 hours straight? There is no scientific evidence that a certain time span is better for you. It’s never about quantity, it’s about quality.
• In your ‘breaks’, move around. Do star jumps, grab food, it’s your time to really move around before you sit back down.
• Change the atmosphere of where you study. I have a special room to study, but sometimes I do it in my bedroom, outside in the sunshine or even on the staircase!
• Listen to classical music or music with no lyrics. It can amplify your creativity.
• Does a timetable work for you? Personally, I don’t like it because I find following a set plan to be boring. I like to do what I feel like doing everyday. However, make sure you cover all the topics you have to cover!
• Use colour in your notes. It stimulates creativity, memory and enjoyment.
• Mind maps help me when I’ve finished a topic and I try to write everything out in a mind map from only my memory. I like to make it colourful and pretty!
• Three big things: food, sleep and exercise. They all help to balance your body out so you are in good condition physically, mentally and emotionally. A healthy diet is so important, especially during the exam period, as it keeps you livelier and more awake. Don’t fall in the trap of “chocolate will make me feel/think better” because it can, but temporarily. Have your chocolate but also balance it out by having plenty of fresh fruits and greens. Start by powering up your body with good food (less processed food) a few months before the exam (the time you’re supposed to be studying), so the benefits can build up and release!
• Always have a bottle of water next to you to stay hydrated and if you are hungry, you must eat! My stomach always distracts me while studying so I constantly snack.
• I recently found out that actually writing your notes down neatly in class helps to in force the content in your mind, even if you’re not paying that much attention to what you’re doing.
• Make the most out of your teachers. Communicate with them, as it is their duty to help you.
• Look for helpful videos on Youtube! I found everything I need to know for my science courses on there.
• This may be weird but is there a song that you listen to during the exam period only, and you know you did well in that exam? Mine is Gangster’s Paradise. I listen to it the night before an exam, and it just sticks with me during, stimulating my test answers. Whenever I have an important exam, I listen to it and remember doing well in my previous exam so it encourages me to do well.

Do you have anything to add? Experiences from your academic life? Comment below!