Hello everyone and welcome to my new blog series! I am in my last year of secondary school (year 11) and I sit my GCSE exams next year. However, I have lots of mock exams leading up to the real ones and I've decided this year that I really need to get my head down and start revising. Everyone has been looking at me like I'm mad, because our exams aren't until next year. Despite that, I'd rather get into the swing of things now than go back to school after Christmas and think, "Oh crap, I've only got a few months left!"
Therefore, I have put together this series to show you guys how I organise my revision sessions and the kind of things I do and use that help me. The things I do may not be for everyone but if you wanted to try out a new technique then give these blog posts a read.
At the end of every blog post, I will leave links to the other posts in this series so you can click on specific ones that you think will help you.
Also, I'm super ill (with tonsillitis) so I've been spending the past couple of days at home. Instead of staying in bed and watching Friends all day, I decided to be a little more productive by doing some revision whilst taking some photographs. Kill two birds with one stone, huh?
Tip One: Getting Started!
The first thing I like to do before I start revising is get changed out of my pyjamas and put leggings and a hoodie on. If I stay in my pyjamas, it makes me feel like I should be back in bed. I also pair this comfortable outfit with fluffy socks - who doesn't like to keep their feet warm? I normally wear this Simpsons Duff Beer hoodie, which I bought in America last year, and my H&M leggings as they are so comfy. I always make sure I wash my face and brush my teeth so I feel refreshed because if I feel really groggy and half-asleep I find it really difficult to concentrate. Another thing I do is put my hair up in a bun or ponytail as it is quite long and it gets really irritating when I'm trying to work.
I always make sure I turn my phone off otherwise it becomes a huge distraction and I end up scrolling through Instagram (@georgiameghann - shameless plug!) or Facebook ten minutes after I open my books. I don't tend to listen to music while I revise - unless I am doing work in my sketchbook - because I find that I don't concentrate as much as I do without music. If you do like to listen to music, instead of turning your phone off, I would turn it on silent and make sure I have my settings set so that my phone doesn't vibrate. I always turn the television on though, so there is a bit of background noise.
Before I start revising, I like to refer to my calendar - who else always get a little calendar book every Christmas off random family members?! I never used to use them and they would end up in the back of a drawer but this school year I've decided to use the one I was gifted last year (I mainly decided to use it because it has small pictures of extremely cute kittens on every page) to plan out my days. I don't plan out my days as such as going into
detail about what I'm going to do at what time;
instead, I write a couple of bullet points on each
day so I can remind myself what homework or revision I should be doing. I usually limit it to two subjects each day otherwise I think my brain would explode! I also planned out a revision timetable so I can include the things I do at school (like at lunch or after school sessions I should go to) as well as revision I can do at home. I colour-code each subject so its easier to
see. For example, I go to maths intervention every morning instead of tutor and I also go afterschool on a Wednesday, so these are coloured a dark pink. I stick this up on my bedroom wall so I don't forget the clubs I should be going to.
There's no point in doing hours of revision and not having a break because studies show the average person can only concentrate for about 45 minutes (look at me with my statistics!) so I like to work in 20-30 minute blocks and then I take a ten minute break. Usually, I will take my laptop and watch some Youtube videos (I was actually watching
sunbeamsjess' Topshop Autumn/Winter Haul - I've been obsessing over her videos recently; they're so entertaining) or I will flick through Glamour magazine and get some inspiration for future blog posts or outfit ideas.
I always end up back on my phone and I like to scroll through
Twitter (another shameless plug) and see what everyone is up to and I also reply to any messages. If you were wondering, I have the iPhone 5C - if anyone would like me to do a What's On My iPhone blog post, I'll be happy to do that, just leave a comment below.
Also, if you notice, I am so boring when it comes to using emoji's - I use the faces and the hearts and that's about it! I really need to branch out and use a wider variety...
I like to stay hydrated whilst I'm revising otherwise it can be quite hard to concentrate. I either drink water or orange juice: I am a huge fizzy drink addict but I try to only drink water when I'm working because it's very refreshing. When I take a break, I tend to snack a lot so instead of eating unhealthy food, like crisps, I try and eat more fruit. It must be good for my brain too? I drink
everything through a straw (water, juice, tea etc) because it feels like I am drinking more and, seeing as I'm someone who can go all day without having a drink, it makes me feel so much better about myself when I am properly hydrated. Is that weird?
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this first blog post! Please leave me a comment sharing your opinion as I'm really not sure if people will like this series.
Click on any of these links below and they will take you to my other Revision & Study Tips posts:
❤ Tip Five: Organization! ❤
LOVE that pencil case :)
ReplyDeleteLovely blog xx
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