Studying, essays and exams:

Hey, who says it has to be hard? (Probably the examiners or the government I don’t know haha) Any way, here’s some stuff to help out:

Essays: get your essays marked and graded on this site. (I created this!) As a trainee teacher, tutor and A* student, I will mark tests in detail with improvements and grades.

Notes: This fabulous post has tips on how to take notes from lectures and lessons made by @emmastudies 💕

Surviving exams: please be kind to yourself. Do not work yourself too hard. You shouldn’t be slave driving yourself. Don’t cram!!! Leave enough time to revise. Begin studying at the start of the year/semester if possible. Review your self every month. BALANCE IS THE KEY. Drink plenty of water. Use your textbooks, but make your own shorter, more concise notes. Prepare your stuff (equipment, clothes, alarm) the day before the exam. On the day of the exam wake up with enough time to get ready and be at the exam hall in time. Take a watch and a see through pencil case. Know where you are sitting (which hall & which seat number) well in advance to keep things calm. After the exam don’t worry about what ifs and should haves.

Printables: get a free study tracker if you sign up to testedbytutors mailing list. Also check out Pinterest because sometime it has hidden gems.

Saving Money:

If you’re anything like me, saving money is very important as a student. University is starting soon, it’s back to school for most and college is upon us!

Wooo, ok- trust me I’ve been through all the hard hunting & pocket pinching to help you out. I’ve lined up a bunch of tips to help you out.

Clothes, beauty & food etc. 💰

MyUnidays: Seriously this is the bomb dot com. It gives students between 10% to 50% off on loads of major brand. Personally, I use it for clothes (it includes a bunch of shops Like New Look, River Island and TopShop). It also offers discounts on health, beauty, fitness, food and technology. (Microsoft and Apple too). Bonus: It includes small vouchers for each time you recommend the app to a friend and they sign up. I’ve added my link for you guys to sign up to it. (Unlike the NUS it’s free to do so.)

Loyalty offers and voucher codes: A lot of shops offer reward cards that are free to sign up to. This includes supermarkets and eat out places too. Get a few freebies , money off vouchers or even store credit. Most food places give you a free drink or even dessert if you tell them you're a student. (Greggs, McDonalds etc.) Sign up to clothing shop’s newsletters to get discount codes. This stuff is free and pretty easy to do. Yay.

Text books 📚

University Students: USE 👏 YOUR 👏 LIBRARY 👏 seriously the text book is either there physically or online and it’s FREE. If not ask your librarian. Search for the PDF on google. Sometimes the older edition of the same book is cheaper but has just a few changes from the original.

Surviving the workload, socialising and everything else:

Getting ahead: How to get ready for the beginning of exams and the final year of school

What to do if you’re feeling lazy: What to take with you when you are studying

With exam season in full swing, it can be hard to know where to begin with revision. This time of year can be hard and stressful for many of us, so as a student currently sitting exams myself, I thought that I would make a list of a few tips and tricks to aid you in all your exam preparation while avoiding unnecessary stress!

A week before the exam

Give yourself enough time to revise for the subject! If you do an hour or so of studying every day for a week before, it will stick in your brain a lot better than one night of cramming before the exam will!

Do practice papers instead of rewriting notes! Unless you find that rewriting your notes helps you, it is probably better to move onto practice papers for the week before. This will help to prepare you for what will come in the actual exam!

Teach somebody else about the subject! If there is a part of the course that you feel you don’t know as well, find a parent or friend and walk them through what you need to know. This will reinforce your knowledge while also teaching somebody something new!

Don’t always sit at your desk to revise! I always feel that just because you know something at your desk doesn’t mean you know it elsewhere. Mix up your study locations and go to your local library or a café instead!

 The day before the exam

Don’t push yourself too hard! It is vital not to overload your brain on the day before an exam. Do your best to keep a calm head-space and stop after one or two papers to avoid unnecessary panic.

Finish your revision early! On the night before an exam, I usually stop by half past 8 at night to give my mind a rest and to take some time to unwind.

Do something that relaxes you! Do something that you enjoy to take your mind off the thought of an exam. I always go for a walk on the night before an exam as it clears my head and the fresh air helps me to get a better night’s sleep as well!

Pack your bag the night before! This will mean that you’re not rushing around in the morning before the exam. Remember to pack everything that you may need (e.g. a calculator for maths if you’re allowed to bring one).

 On the day of the exam

Take more than one pen! This will give you the reassurance that if one stops working, you have backup. I usually take three pens, but a friend of mine took fourteen pens to an exam so take however many you think you’ll need!

Take a bottle of water! (if you’re allowed) It is always a good idea to take a bottle of water with you because sitting in an exam hall for two hours or more can make you dehydrated. Also, water helps you to think, focus and concentrate better!

Take a snack for in-between exams! If you have two exams back to back (e.g French reading followed by listening) take a snack like fruit or a cereal bar for the break in-between. Keep that brain fueled!

Don’t speak to your friends about the exam in-between! Avoid the topic of the exam if you have back to back exams. Have a chat about an unrelated topic because I find that comparing answers will only make you question your knowledge and may cause you to doubt yourself and panic during your next exam.

Take a break after the exam has finished! I have a friend who would sit one exam and the go home and immediately start revising for the next one. I find that it’s good to take time to chill and wind down after your exam as you will more than likely be drained after sitting an exam!