Summer has flown by and the revision period is almost upon us again! Getting ahead on work during your weeks off will hopefully have prepared you for that next challenge which lies ahead. But no matter how well we prepare, it can always be good to look back to someone who has been there. So, as that person, here are my top 5 revision tips:

1. Schedule

Make sure that you start as early on as you possible can. You might think that revision is not a necessary thing to be doing in the midst of September, but the reality is that there is no better time to start.

Schedule small slots of revision into your day, even if it means only half an hour of looking over the notes you made in the lecture that morning. This has definitely been a big part of university life because there is so much independent learning to be done.

2. Secondary Reading

Going the extra mile is one of the best ways you can enable yourself to remember all the necessary information. Pick out the things you are really interested in and play to your strengths. Even when it comes to your weaknesses, find the elements which are enjoyable and research something about it.

Tip – Keep a list of your research so they can be potentially referred back to in the future.

3. Colour Coding

My favourite thing to do when it comes to exam time is just to colour code everything. Get the A3 paper and make spider diagrammes, write your notes out in different colours and make keys so that you can really utilise this.

Fact – You are 25% more likely to remember things that you write down in colour than things in plain ink!

4. Repetition

It’s the tried and tested, fool proof way to get yourself to digest and retain information; Remind yourself of it over and over again. Whether it be through flash cards or by writing things out repeatedly, find out what works best for you and roll with it.

Something I’ve found to work really well is saying things out loud so that I can hear what a good example sounds like in comparison to a bad. In addition to this, being able to explain something to someone else concisely only highlights how well you are versed in what you are discussing.

5. Peer Assessment

Your peers are the people whom you are most likely to learn from because they are the harshest critics. Me and my friends found it really useful to construct an essay club where each week, we can not only help each other go over topics we are uncertain of but also read one anothers work.

Keeping others up to date on your progress can also take a lot of the weight off of your shoulders. They can help you see where to begin making positive change and having support during this stressful time is the best thing for you.

For more revision tips – take a look at these revision hacks for essay writing!