How do you prepare for a geography (a-level) synoptic exam?

The synoptic essay paper questions are testing your knowledge on the interconnections and interdisciplinary quality of different aspects of geography. I would first create a mindmap of the different topics you study for your geography course, and then try and think about some common themes, ideas, theories, points of view between the different topics you study. Often you can weave in ideas about climate change quite easily, but think about something like place, and then earth hazards? Can earth hazards influence or change a sense of place or ideas about a place? How are international relations in the Global South influencing migration flows? What aspects of physical geography cause problems for migrants? How does a volcanic eruption influence climate or local politics, especially if a volcanic eruption is transboundary across multiple countries?

Once you've thought of a common theme or link between two topics, the brainstorm some ideas about this link. Bring in knowledge from all areas of study, perhaps even other subjects you do if you do them. Earth hazards occuring can make a place feel "scary" or "foreign", especially when viewed through the media, as well as causing physical infrastructural damage, economic crashes, and so on. Don't forget to mention ideas about space and time, two central aspects of geography, and also scale. In addition, looking at past mark schemes, even from synoptics questions from different exam boards, is another good place to find specific information if that is what you're struggling with.