Study Smart, Not Hard - Share YOUR Exam Prep Tips and Tricks!

Hey all,
Seen as so many of us across all levels of study are just around the corner from or in the swing of exams, I just thought I would share a few tips and tricks, hopefully starting a discussion where everyone else can share their own tips and tricks or on how their studying is going!!
Study Smart, Not Hard - not to say studying hard isn't important! More emphasising that it's important not to burn yourself out, through stress, lack of sleep and taking good care of yourself.
So how do I study smart?
Study - First of all, it is important to know what to study - identify areas of your course that the exams will cover, whether it be from teacher recommendations, previous mock exams and also, if you get to choose what essay-style question in your exam, what you prefer and where you're interested and knowledgeable about. Attendance to all lessons in the weeks before exams, optional or otherwise, are crucial in helping being informed and receiving the best outcomes from your exams.
Master - Secondly, targeted revision both to master the areas you're particularly strong in, if it's an essay-style exam, or strengthen and galvanise the areas you feel you're weaker in, especially if it's a questions-style exam! Try using to-do lists and make targets rather than constraining yourself too much to time, you need to revise what you need to revise - prioritisation is key!!
Apply - Now it's time to put this revision to the test! You may have heard it time and time again, but mock exams in your own timed mock exam conditions can really help you practice for the real thing in the days before the exam. Especially if essay writing is involved! Once I applied myself in doing mock exams in the days before the exam, the results really did start to show.
Review - Ok, now you've got to get a feel for what the exam will be like, hopefully this will make the real thing that bit less stressful, as you're prepared for the timed conditions and now have a wealth of information on where you may need to improve. Make sure to review the mock exam you just did, whether it be through reading over the essay-style questions or marking the other right-or-wrong questions! Realise where you need to go over a bit more, and...
Try again! - If you have time, try it all again, what you've already done is great, and has really set you up well for the coming exam, but if you feel you can or need to, study smart some more!
Finally, it would be amazing if any of you could share your exam prep tips and trick - or let us know how you're doing!
Best of wishes to you all - you've got this!!!
Harry
Liverpool Hope University Senior Student Ambassador
MA Politics and International Relations

First of all, thank you for your advice.
I am doing my GCSE's now. I have wasted all the time and I'm just reading the notes once and doing the past paper. I was a very brilliant student before, now wasting all my time in phone.
Do you have any tips to kill my laziness and phone addiction. 😮*💨

Hey there,
You're welcome, and I know it may feel like you haven't used all the time how you would have liked - but what you have done is still admirable and more than what a lot of people may be doing and it's wonderful to see that you want to do more!
Firstly, it isn't a bad thing to take an hour or so break doing something other than revision to recharge and not let yourself get overwhelmed - it's setting time limits to how long you're going to do that for, and having a few bullet point goals to keep you on track as aims for the day.
Hopefully, if you set yourself time limits on how long you can relax for on your phone, for example, can help structure your day without making rest and recreation as a bad thing either. Set 3 goals you want to achieve in the next day, two days, three days, or a week! Depending on how encompassing they are - and do them at a reasonable and achievable pace.
It is important to remember, that despite the busy times, it is important to do what you can do and be kind to yourself!
I hope this helps!!
Harry
Liverpool Hope University Senior Student Ambassador
MA Politics and International Relations