Hi all, it's me Harsh again. This is going to be my last blog this year before everyone departs for Christmas. Since exams are approaching soon, I’ll be sharing some tips today, which I think will be useful.
Make a timetable!
So, starting without any delays, the most important thing, I feel is making a revision timetable and splitting up your work on a daily basis. This way you will be able to do a bit of each or a few subjects every day and it will prevent you from leaving the most difficult things to the end. I believe a timetable has another advantage as well, it makes you conscious of what work is left and avoids procrastination which subsequently saves you from stress and all-nighters during your exams.
How to do it.
Now that you have a timetable and you know what you’ve got to do, it's all about how you’re going to do it. First of all, I’d suggest going through all the lectures and thoroughly practising all assignments given out during the tutorials. If possible, form a study group with your friends. This makes the studying process more interesting. I’d also like to suggest you try to help your peers by explaining a topic to someone or clearing any doubts. This not only helps them but, in return, you’ll also find that you are helping yourself because it’ll clarify some concepts. You’ll definitely notice this when you try it for the first time – I recommend you give it a go.
Some courses require us to write long essay answers which at times can be difficult to memorise. For this, I’d suggest condensing your notes into summaries and jotting down outlines. These will make the task much easier. You could also try and use fonts, symbols and colours to emphasise and remember the important points.
For subjects like Finance which have loads of formulas, make a chart and put it in your room. As a result, you will inadvertently look at it whenever you move around resulting in better retention. Law is another subject that can get quite daunting, especially when it comes to learning not only the case facts but also remembering which case is associated with which law. However, it’s not that difficult if you follow the right technique. Make a flashcard for each case, outlining all the facts and keep looking at them every day, slowly you’ll find that you know them all. Then you can ask your flatmates/ friends to test you, which will be a further boost to your confidence.
I am not sure if there are MCQ (Multiple-Choice Questions) tests this year but if yes, doing the fortnightly seminar sheets is your best bet if you find reading the book too difficult.
Moving onto the practical subjects like data analysis and quantitative methods, I tend to practise them on a daily basis because I forget the steps involved in solving a particular type of question. This helps me to overcome the problem while improving my speed. If that’s the case with you as well, I’d suggest trying this method.
One last tip, try writing out the answers on a piece of paper during your final revision. It’ll help you get a gist of your presentation and how the answer actually looks, enabling you to make any changes if needed beforehand rather than struggling while writing the exam.
Make time for friends and recreation
I’ve spoken a lot about studying and now it’s time for the good stuff. Food! Eating well is very crucial during exam times as it helps the mind to function better (That’s what I feel ). In addition to this, it is important to take short breaks every now and then. Go hang out with your friends, talk to people, watch a movie, go out for a walk on campus or go play a sport or hit the gym.
Do whatever you like but don’t study all day long. It’ll help you get your mind off studies and subsequently lead to better efficiency when you get back at it. The SU also organises a lot of activities during the exam period. You can get involved in a few of them as well.
Finally, don’t be afraid of asking for help. The staff are there to help you and will do the best that they can to support you. The library is not the only place where you can study, sit where ever you find it comfortable and easy to learn. Read the exam briefing slides given out by your Director of Studies and finally re-check the exam’s time and the location at least a day before the exam. Sometimes it can get confusing and you might end up reaching the wrong place.
That’s all for now, I’m sorry if I’ve missed out something. All the best for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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