It’s coming up that time of the year again… EXAM time. Whether you’re in your first year or, heading towards your finals, this can be a nerve wracking and overwhelming time.
We know what it’s like when you have a lot of work to do. The tiniest thing can distract you. You stumble upon some cat videos on You Tube. Minutes turn into hours and, PANIC… you’re pulling an all-nighter trying to cram as much in as possible. Except, nothing seems to go in…
You may be thinking that studying as hard as is humanly possible is the ONLY way you have a hope of getting the results that you want. While this might work for some people, it’s the not the only way. It’s proven that, by taking some of the pressure of yourself you could achieve more. So, here are SIX tips to help you destress revision, become more efficient and study SMARTER not harder…
1 – Don’t try and learn EVERYTHING by heart
You don’t need to. You are university students, you’re not being tested on your word for word recall of the text book, it’s your understanding of the subject and your ability to draw conclusions that matters.
2 – FOCUS
Don’t just dive into a topic – create a DETAILED study schedule and stick to it. What day are you going to start, what will you study and how long for. Be sure to allow some time away from your books, it’s important that you give your brain some downtime. Studying can get lonely so why not team up with someone on your course to help keep your mind on the job. Set an alarm for when time is up and make sure you have a reward lined up, you’ll have earned it!
3 – REMOVE distractions
Adopt a ‘tidy desk, tidy mind’ policy. Now I know this is easier said than done when you are living in student accommodation but, it really works. Declutter your study space, remove ANYTHING that might distract you – I find the Chrome site blocker browser extension comes in pretty handy, come on, cats playing the piano are VERY hard to resist – now there is nothing for you to concentrate apart from the job in hand. Study!
4 – Don’t CRAM
If you’ve created a study schedule AND stuck to it you, hopefully, won’t find yourself needing to study through the night before an exam. It’s a waste of energy. You’re panicked, probably rushing through the data and missing important things and then, you turn up to your exam utterly exhausted. Nobody does their best work when they’re that tired.
5 – UNDERSTAND what type of studying works for you
Are you a Visual, Auditory, Emotional or Kinesthetic studier? When you know which one works best for you, you can adapt your study methods accordingly. For example a visual learner is more effective when learning material is presented in a.. you got it, visual way! Find out what type you are here.
6 – Be KIND to yourself
Exam time can be stressful, but you need to take time for yourself too. It all comes back to your study plan. A good plan allows for some relaxation time too. We aren’t suggesting HUGE nights on the town but why not go see a film with some friends and allow yourself to relax a little. Make sure you don’t neglect your diet either. Fuel and rest are vitally important for effective study.
Here at the Hive all our rooms have a purpose built study area as standard AND our students are able to take advantage of our clean and airy communal study areas. To find out how you can join our thriving student community please contact us today on 020 3551 2550 to arrange a viewing.