What is the best way to revise before exams?
What Is the Best Way to Revise Before Exams?
Alright, so hereâs the situation: exams are coming. Your heartâs beating a little faster. Youâre staring at a mountain of notes wondering, âWhere do I even start?â âDid I even learn this before?â âWhy does the mitochondria keep coming back!?â Revisionâeveryone says you need to do it. But no one really explains how to do it in a way that doesnât feel like pure chaos. You mightâve tried rereading everything, highlighting until your hand cramped, or watching YouTube videos at 2 AM hoping itâll magically click. The truth? Most people donât revise efficiently. Not because theyâre bad at studyingâbut because theyâre never taught how to revise in a way that actually helps their brain remember anything. So, letâs fix that. No fluff. Just real, useful strategies to help you walk into that exam room with your brain actually ready. đŻ First: What Is Revision, Actually? Letâs clear this up. Revision â re-reading your textbook from cover to cover and praying for the best. Revision = actively recalling, organizing, and reinforcing what youâve already learned. The best revision helps your brain: - Retrieve the info (pull it out from memory) - Strengthen the connections (make it stick better) - Spot gaps (so you can fill them before the test) So letâs talk about how to do that in the smartest, most brain-friendly way possible. đ§ Step 1: Use Active Recall If I had to give you one method and one method only, it would be this. Active recall is basically quizzing yourself. Instead of just reading notes, you test yourself on them. Examples: - Read a section â close your notes â write down everything you remember - Use flashcards (make them or use Quizlet) - Answer past paper questions without looking at your notes - Teach the topic out loud (even if itâs to your wall or your cat) Why it works: Youâre training your brain to pull info out, not just take it in. And thatâs exactly what exams make you do. đ Step 2: Do Spaced Repetition Donât cram. Seriously. It doesnât work long-term. Instead, spread your revision out over time. Spaced repetition = review material several times over increasing intervals. Example: - Day 1: Learn it - Day 2: Review it - Day 4: Review again - Day 7: Quick recap - Day 14: Final check Apps like Anki do this automatically, but you can totally use a notebook or calendar too. This helps move things into your long-term memory, which is where exam answers live.
đ Step 3: Make a Revision Plan (and Keep It Real) Donât just wing it. Sit down and look at: - How many days/weeks you have left - How many subjects/topics you need to cover - What your weakest areas are Then spread your revision across your schedule. â Mix hard + easy topics each day â Schedule shorter sessions (25â50 minutes max) â Always leave buffer time for review and emergencies Donât try to revise everything every day. Thatâs a straight path to burnout and breakdown. đ Step 4: Use Visuals, Mind Maps & Diagrams Your brain loves visuals. Instead of writing pages of boring notes, try: - Making mind maps - Drawing process diagrams - Creating comparison charts - Color-coding your notes by topic or importance Itâs not about making it pretty (though that helps); itâs about helping your brain see connections and simplify complex info. đ Step 5: Teach It (Even If No Oneâs Listening) This one is criminally underrated. If you can teach something clearly, you really understand it. Try this: - Pretend you're giving a 2-minute lesson - Use your own wordsâno reading from notes - Record yourself if you want and listen back You'll immediately notice what you understand and what still feels fuzzy. âď¸ Step 6: Practice With Past Papers This is the closest thing to the real deal. Get old exam questions. Time yourself. Write full answers like itâs the real test. This helps you: - Learn how to apply what you know - Spot question patterns - Improve time management - Get comfortable under pressure Even if itâs not perfect, itâs practice. And every time you try, your confidence grows. đ Step 7: Avoid Passive Traps These feel productive but donât help much: đŤ Rereading notes endlessly đŤ Highlighting everything đŤ Watching tons of videos without testing yourself đŤ Making pretty notes and never using them If youâre not testing, recalling, or applyingâyou're not truly revising. Be honest with yourself. Passive study feels comfy, but it doesnât prepare you for the exam battlefield. đ§ Step 8: Take Care of Yourself Your brain needs fuel, rest, and movement to function at full power. â Sleep at least 7â8 hours â Eat real food (not just snacks and caffeine) â Drink water â Take breaks â Move your bodyâwalk, stretch, whatever The best revision happens when your brain feels safe and supported. đĄ Bonus Tips - Make a revision playlist (lo-fi beats, classical, anything non-distracting) - Use whiteboards for quick visual review - Pair up with a friend for quick-fire Q&A battles - Review your mistakes oftenâthey teach the most Final Thoughts Thereâs no one âperfectâ way to reviseâbut there is a smart way: â Active recall â Spaced repetition â Practice under pressure â Break it into chunks â Track your wins Start small. Focus on understanding, not just memorizing. And most importantlyâbelieve you can do it. Confidence doesnât come from feeling ready. It comes from showing up again and again, even when youâre not sure. You've got this. Revision doesnât have to suck. It can actually feel good when it worksâand it will. Related Articles from EdgyThoughts.com: Is VR the Future of Classroom Learning? https://edgythoughts.com/is-vr-the-future-of-classroom-learning/ Why Emotional Intelligence Is Finally Being Taught in Schools https://edgythoughts.com/are-schools-teaching-emotional-intelligence-now/ External Resource: Explore more about effective studying techniques: Study skills â Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Study_skills Read the full article
