In Part 1 of this blog we dealt with some of the common reasons that our students get fed up with revising. We know now  is a really important time for revision and so we’ll tackle some of the other problems we hear our students are having with exam revision motivation.

I’m finding revision boring so always find better things to do

Yes, revision can be boring (shush – don’t tell your teachers), especially if its a subject you have less enthusiasm for or don’t understand as well. And it’s especially boring if you do it all day, everyday, in exactly the same way. How about mixing things up – using different techniques such as mindmaps, games, revision cards or getting someone to ask you questions. There’s also a whole world of other people revising on the internet and you can use forums and social networking to get hints and tips. Our final tip in this section is to focus on the big picture – imagine yourself opening your exam results or getting that university place or one day landing your perfect job. You’ll be amazed how motivating positive thinking can be.

This far into the year I’ve just lost my motivation

It’s been a long term and everyone is tired – that’s true. It’s also true that if you’re doing GCSE, A2 or A Levels then this is a high pressure year for you. A lack of motivation could be down to tiredness (or boredom) so it’s important to recognise when you’re tired and give yourself a break (even if it’s a short one) to recharge your batteries and also when your routine has become boring (see above hints).

We often recommend our students take time off. Forget school, forget revision, have fun and then come back refreshed and raring to go. But it’s also about keeping things in perspective – the end of the year and the next step of your life is just a few weeks away and it would be a shame to waste the year and your effort so far because you are tired. Make sure you’ve sat down and planned your revision to include lots of breaks, get enough sleep and eat well – they’ll all help to keep your energy levels up.

I just don’t get it/understand

Revision is much more difficult if you don’t understand the subject matter. Our advice is don’t be afraid to ask – ask your teachers, tutors, family, friends or use the internet.  Many student forums are available and they could provide the answers you are looking for and help clear up a misunderstanding. 

The exams still seem quite far off and I’m not worried

We hear this a lot and yes it can be hard to sit down and revise when exams seem weeks or months off. But think about it – it’s taken you months or years to learn a subject so why would you be able to revise it in just a few days? The clearest way to see this is to write down everything (and we mean everything) you need to revise – each subject, each topic, each chapter. Then figure out how much you could do in a day (for example, how long will it take you to read a chapter, make notes, revise the notes until you know them). Then calculate the number of days until your exam. Suddenly becoming clear? Don’t panic because you’ve now got a revision plan.

The exams seem really close and I’m panicking and it’s stopping me working

Being frozen with fear is really common. Many of our students panic at the prospect of all the work they have to do. Stop. Take a breath. Most people panic because they don’t really know what they need to revise and they don’t have a plan. Get the information you need – ask your teacher exactly what you need to revise, check the syllabus to ensure you’re covering the topics you need. Then follow our steps for making a revision plan:

1.       Break down what you need to revise in manageable chunks (1-2 hours)

2.       Plan each day until your exam with revision time and break times.

3.       If you think you have too much to learn or not enough time talk to your parents, friends or teachers – they can help you prioritise.

4.       Start – with something, anything. Pick up one book, read it and make notes.

If you’d like to know how you deal with the most common revision problems then check out the first part of our blog – Please help me revise.

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, Didsbury and Hale) then contact 121 Home Tutors.

Tags: help me revise, preparing for exams, Revision tips

This entry was posted on Friday, May 18th, 2012 at 10:25 am and is filed under Revision tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.