#organisation tips

First of all, lists. Lists. Lists. Lists. This is one thing that I could do during GCSEs and I’ve carried it through to the IB as well. I was speaking to Sophie today about an app which I found called WorkFlowy, which allows you to list big overarching things that you need to do, and list smaller subunits underneath it, giving you a visual representation of the bigger picture if you like. So for instance, for me, I could have one big topic that says, “Math Studies Project.” It’s never a good idea to list something like that on a list by itself, because that’ll freak you out. You don’t need more stress when it comes to the Math Studies project. So, underneath that, I’d then list smaller things to do with the topic. For instance, if you’re starting one, perhaps list ‘Collect data.’ Underneath that, you could list potential sources for you to check, and so on and so forth until you have one organised, structured list showing you at a glance what you have to do. Here’s my homework list on the app at the moment, for instance, so I can show you what I mean.

However, I’m of course not saying this app is the only option. I’m still fairly new to it, but it’s working for me so far. An obvious advantage is ticking individual things off also gives you motivation to get more things on your list ticked off too - remember, little victories!

If perhaps you might like a different suggestion, here’s some other places which are great for note taking (though let me know if you know of anywhere else!):

Notes: If you have an Apple product, whether that’s an iPhone, iPad, Macbook or perhaps all three, the Notes app is a great option. It’s already on your phone and lets you sync a to do list between all your devices. Try adding tasks at school so when you’re at home and ready to work, you could just open your computer (if of course you have a Macbook!) and have your to do list ready there waiting for you.

Wunderlist: I used this during my GCSEs. Works in a similar way to Notes, except it’s designed to separate items by their individual to do lists. Works great if you have different devices from different makers!

Good ol’ fashioned pen and paper: Nothing wrong with pen and paper for recording your items - just make sure you don’t lose the place where you’re writing all your to do list items down!

Once you’ve got home and you have your to do list, you might be thinking, “Great! Now what?!” Well, I’ll be back in a few days to give you a few tips that hopefully might help you with that aspect of organisation. See you then!

1. PREPARING FOR SCHOOL during summertime, it’s important to take the opportunity to rest up and have fun before the new school year. however, you should also set aside time to complete any preparatory tasks set either by your teachers or yourself. always get this out of the way first so you can enjoy your summer fully and not worry about getting things done in the last week of august. for example, if you need a new uniform, go shopping in the weeks after you break up as the lines will be shorter. watch out for back to school offers on stationery and never procrastinate your summer homework. my advice is always read at least one of the books on your ‘further reading’ lists - these will come in handy especially in the english and humanities subjects when writing essays. summer homework should help introduce you into what your classes will be like come autumn and are a chance to show off what you already know, so do a fair amount of research and try your best!

2. PACKING YOUR BAG it may not seem like it, but being fully equipped can really affect how well you do in your studies. if you don’t have something as simple as lunch money, a sanitary pad or a red pen, your day might not be as productive as it should be. here’s a short list of things i’d recommend to keep handy in your bag:

composition books for the day’s classes

textbooks

bullet journal / school planner

notebook

pencil case / pen case

binder

reading book / library book

sanitary pads / tampons*

keys

travelcard *

lunch money *

lip balm

tissues *

medication, for allergies and pain relief

prescribed glasses *

scissors & tape

it’s also key to have the right stationery in your pencil case. i know it’s tempting to buy out the entirety of the nearest stationery shop, but really, you only need to get what you know you’ll need. personally, i keep the following with me:

black pen (two if it’s exam season)

red pen for underlining / important notes

green pen for self assessments

ruler (15cm)

a highlighter *

a pencil

a rubber

a sharpener

maths equipment *

index notes *

for both lists, i’ve added a * for any items i think depend on the student. if you don’t have allergies, tissues aren’t a priority. if you walk to school, a travelcard is naturally out of the question. so tailor the list to your personal needs, and you’ll be sure to be equipped for anything school throws your way!

3. MORNING ROUTINE it’s important to start every morning off right, and this includes weekends. try not to press snooze on your alarm - this will make it harder to get up and out of bed. if it helps, try to put your phone or alarm clock on the other side of the room: by the time you’ve gotten out of bed to stop it, you might as well get up anyway. open up your curtains wide and open the windows if it’s nice outside. drink a cold glass of water and stretch a bit. make sure to always eat something before you start the day - it doesn’t have to be a ‘proper’ breakfast like cereal or toast, but it should be enough to get you through to lunchtime. 

once you’ve eaten, wash your face, brush your teeth and brush your hair. even on days when you plan on taking a break and just watching netflix, you should do these little things to get alert and feel happy to start the day. if it’s a school day, get dressed and leave home early - punctuality is key and allows time for you to organise yourself before your first class. if it’s a rest day, plan out what you want to get done and get set on your tasks; sometimes the tasks can be as simple as relax for an hour or listen to music, or you could choose to get an assignment done and read 50 pages of a novel. it’s up to you, but you should always try to start right away. use the 5 second rule - count down from 5 and start after 1. counting down means you can’t procrastinate the task any further and 5 seconds is so quick, you’ll get started in no time.

4. ORGANISATION one thing i find incredibly important is organisation. whether you’re a bit messy and never know when class is or you’re already quite on top of things - organising your life even better will always improve your performance and the way you view the school experience. the key to getting everything in order is making sure each item and activity has a time and a place.

let’s start with places. you’ll need to know where all of your textbooks and exercise books are when you pack your bag, so keep them all together - in a drawer, on a shelf, by your bed, it doesn’t matter. just make sure they have a designated area and return to it. all of your homework and notes that don’t go into your exercise book should stay in a file. i personally keep one folder at home for each subject and then transfer the necessary sheets into the one binder i keep in my bag when i need them. this way i can free up space in my bag - though this technique is for those with sharp memories (and the daring).

then, of course, it is important that each task and event has a time. this is really the most important part of organising in my opinion, because time management is a skill that you will need up to university and beyond. first, you need to set a timetable - make a physical copy if you want to! i prefer having a reference to stick up on my wall (and it’s really fun to colour code each class and activity). fill in all your classes and extracurriculars, then fill in the times it takes you to travel, get ready in the mornings and prepare for school in the evenings. when that is done, fill in the gaps! you don’t need to be too specific; i classify mine quite simply into breaks, rests, study periods and exercise. so long as you designate appropriate times to valuable activities, you should be fine!

you also need a journal or planner of some kind. i swear by my bullet journal, but apps such as ‘school planner’ on android are an actual godsend. this is where you will jot down deadlines, tasks, events and exams. apps are really good for this because they will automatically sync everything onto one calendar, but the good old fashioned paper planner is wonderful too - it really depends on your style! every evening you should be able to glance at your planner, pick your outfit and pack your bag, all ready for the next day.

5. FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL whether you’re off at a new school or this is your last year, every september is an opportunity to change your approach to education. my biggest piece of advice is to be someone you’re happy and comfortable with. you may want to reinvent yourself completely - and that’s fine - but don’t strive to be something you’re not. if you’re quiet and comtemplative, there is no pressure to be the loudest one in class; the same goes the other way around. you’ll probably be much happier being yourself, and people will definitely love you for who you are.

having said this, you can always use september as a fresh start if you were unhappy with your past years in education. the best way to get off on the right foot is to be prepared, punctual and positive: have all of the materials required, always be early and try to keep a positive outlook on anything you’re asked to do. this way all of your teachers will know that you want to do well in their classes and you will attract others who also value their success this year. if you remember this approach during your first week (even if it is really scary!), you’ll begin your year perfectly.

6. SCHOOL LIFE before we get into the real study tips, we should quickly touch upon the other aspects of life at school: 

friendship - this is something that a lot of people struggle with at school. not necessarily making friends; everyone finds friends eventually. what people often find difficult is making the right friends. i’ve known a lot of people who want to do well but their friends don’t, so they find it holds them back. or they might really like their friends but have disagreements or fights that make them stress out and lose concentration. the fact is, finding friends who you can love and rely on is an important part of school life and you will experience problems with them. but don’t let this deter you! your real friends will stick with you through the good and the bad, and when worst comes to worst, you might split up. but that’s a part of growing up. if you outgrow someone - that’s fine. if you want a different type of friendship (or relationship), that’s fine too. do what is best for yourself and you’ll never go wrong.

extracurriculars - oftentimes an optional choice for students but vital nonetheless. if this is your final exam year and you’ll need all the time you can get, i wouldn’t stress over any clubs or classes besides booster sessions. however, if that’s not the case, i would seriously recommend taking an extracurricular for the first term at least. not only are they great for university applications, they will help relieve the stress of schoolwork and serve as a fast-track to making friends when you don’t know that many people. you could take something that links to your chosen subjects or aspirations, or just try something new. if you aren’t sure about commitment, take a club or class that only lasts a set number of weeks or just one term. that way you can drop it when the time is up without disappointing any teachers or peers. however, if you pick something you know you’ll really enjoy, you’ll hopefully keep the club all the way until summer! 

finally, teachers - the worst part of school for some and the best for others. i really have only one piece of advice: make friends with your teachers! not only will this help you when you’re struggling with an assignment or do poorly in an exam, a teacher can be one of the kindest and most interesting people you’ll meet at school. i’ve always had good relationships with my teachers and i have had no regrets. you can tall about the subject further or just get support with personal issues - sometimes, my teachers have honestly saved my life. so try to get to know your teachers and keep your mind open. you never know what you might learn!

7. IN CLASS okay, now we get to the real studying tips! when in class, it's important to transfer all the important information being discussed or presented into your book. this doesn't necessarily have to be exhaustive - if you write in length about one point, you'll miss out on the rest of the learning! instead, try to make brief but understandable notes using abbreviations or symbols; bullet pointing under different headers can help to separate ideas clearly. some teachers will pause to let you take down what is on their slides, but others will continue. try to prepare for the latter by writing as they talk. keep your class notes as minimalist as possible: this is where you are most information-based, so time spent on making them pretty is time wasted. most importantly, self assess any quizzes or written work - if you don't know where you went wrong, you can't grow.

during class, your teacher might hand out materials that they want you to read. if it helps, highlight all the key terminology and phrases as you go along (i find this especially helpful when reading rather large blocks of text). look up any words you don't understand, or if there isn't a dictionary, discuss it with a peer before asking the teacher. when reading, try to figure out the purpose of being given the text. is it simply information your teacher wants you to learn? do they want you to form an opinion, or analyse the author's opinions? sometimes they might want you to complete a task or talk about it with a partner. always try to understand what you are supposed to learn from what you are doing, or else you are just following instructions blindly.

class discussions are always my favourite part of any lesson. challenge yourself to participate - a lot of exam spec. calls for a clear opinion on the material and you can gain this from listening to and debating with other students. get into the habit of engaging with your classmates because they might approach the work in a way you haven't. this applies to the STEM subjects too; sometimes you might disagree on what the right answer is, or they might show you another way to work something out. it's very possible that they know something you don't, so take advantage of that! the only way to learn is to interact, so get involved.

8. STUDYING AT HOME ok, time to study. open your curtains, clear your workspace and lay out your equipment. try and keep a glass of water or another healthy drink of your choice on your desk for you to sip as you work. set your pomodoro timer or listen to some background noise - the 'tide' app and 'noisli' website work well for both - and turn to a fresh page. then get started…

the first step of learning at home is doing your homework. this could be prep work for your next lesson, reading or just a task set by your teacher to complete by a certain deadline. whatever it is, make sure it's recorded in your planner or on your phone, including any details and due dates. then, whenever you get study time, attempt it straight away. my theory is that waiting until a later date means you don't get any time to relax properly, and also leaves you unable to seek help if you don't understand or something is wrong. doing it right away gets rid of so much anxiety and allows you to get the well needed rest you deserve, rather than wasting time worrying about what is due when. when it comes to tasks, present your work neatly and treat it like classwork that is going to be marked. many people don't take homework seriously, but it can demonstrate to your teacher what you know and what you are struggling with. and always, always, get any readings done. not online summaries - the actual book. the teacher will know, trust me.

the next step is to start studying. this is going over your classwork at home, reading outside of your material or creating revision notes. you should try to read over your classwork at least once a week to make sure you remember what you've learnt and clear up any issues with understanding. once you know you understand what is taught in class, you could look into the work on a deeper level: in the sciences, this might mean learning the concept in more detail; in the humanities, it could mean reading about context. whenever you feel like you've learnt all that you have to - and want to - learn, you should start to revise. revision is more helpful at the end of a module because you will be able to fully summarise the information. at the beginning, you will probably want to work through each individual lesson and this is too much to read through and revise from effectively. for one subject, i turned 2 years worth of learning into a 4 or 5 page booklet that i revised from, and i was able to get full marks in the exam. essentially, studying really comes down to you, but you have to tailor it to your needs and abilities - and the subject you're doing. i'll talk more about that later.

9. DREAM TEAM / STUDY BUDDY before i talk about exams, i thought i might mention 'dream teams' and 'study buddies'. at my school, a motivational speaker came and talked to us about the value of having a team of people around you who can ensure you keep up with school and work hard. these will usually be people in your classes who you might check up with from time to time to make sure that you are all completing assignments and staying on top of things. i actually took this advice and it was genuinely helpful during exam time - we would meet up some weekends at the library and tutor one another, working through different subjects depending on who was best at what. eventually, we'd even stop other people distracting people in our dream teams in class because we were genuinely wanting one another to succeed. however, finding a whole team of people who can meet up regularly could prove very difficult. this is why you might decide to have a study buddy instead. they serve the same role as a dream team but you can talk to or meet up with them more since it's only the two of you. you might not even see each other most of the time - my study buddy goes to a different school and studies different subjects. but so long as you keep each other going and genuinely want them to do well too, you should both really succeed.

10. EXAM TIME aah! exams! this is obviously the part most people worry about and usually where most people want advice. when it comes to exam revision, you have to figure out what makes you work best. this means you need to know what types of learning are effective for you. if you prefer to watch videos or see what is going on for yourself, you're a visual learner. or you might need to do experiments and make models if you're more hands-on. it doesn't matter if you remember information in a less conventional way; what does matter is that you are able to find out what way that is.

then you need to base your revision based off of what subject you are doing and what type of exam it is. if it's an oral exam, there is no use practising essay writing; if it's an art exam, you might not need to stack up on flashcards. once you've matched everything up - subject, exam and technique - here are some methods i'd recommend using to revise.

a) flashcards have a lot of information to remember? does the subject involve a bunch of specific details or topics, for example, a science like chem or bio? then flashcards are the right choice for you! get your revision guide, textbook or class notes together and read through them. jot down only the most important parts - cut out any filler words or sentences that you know you don't need to understand the concepts. do this for each chapter and then use these to make your flashcards. split up all your cards so that you have an equal amount of cards per chapter. then for each chapter, use one side of a card for each topic. (note: you may need a lot of flashcards if there are many topics, but try not to use more than a side a topic. be short and simple - this is the point!) once you have finished, collect them all together in order and read through them whenever you need to jog your memory. try to test yourself on any parts you don't remember after you read through. these are really helpful for reminding yourself of content before attempting past papers! an online alternative like quizlet is also super helpful for quotes if you studying subjects like english, as you can look over them on the way to and from school with ease.

b) timelines, mindmaps & posters if you study a subject where lots of information is centred around certain themes or ideas, a mindmap or poster might be the best technique to use. it is also really helpful for people who learn visually. to make a timeline, draw a line down the centre of your paper and pick a start and end point - in subjects like history, they usually provide these in the spec. then write down all the events that happened in the timeframe, connecting each one to the line so it meets it at the correct year. you could even colour-code events into groups (like social, political and economic events) so you can make connections at a glance. a mindmap can be made by writing the theme or topic in the centre of the page, then creating branches for each sub-topic. each sub-topic usually extends out even further, with three or more branches being connected. once this is done, you could link bits of information using coloured pens or highlighters. finally, a poster is usually about one particular sub-topic that you could go into detail about. it could include pictures, diagrams, fancy headers - you name it! this is more of a creative task, so if you like art, you might prefer this type of revision.

c) post-it notes a shorter and simpler method is to use post-it notes. these are best for small bites of information - key words, quotes, etc. write down a bunch of post-it notes and stick them all over your room (or better yet, your house - with everyone else's permission) in places that you frequent often. you'll see the note and likely read it without thinking, helping jog your memory through repetition. could be very helpful in the language subjects if you need to know items and rooms! my friend has german parents so they labelled different household items in german so she could practise for her exam - why not try it too?

d) past papers it is always a good idea to try past papers as part of revision. not only does it help you get used to the formula of the paper, you can test your knowledge and skills so you know what you need to strengthen as part of your studying. you will probably attempt past papers in class buy definitely do them at home also. this technique is pretty straight-forward, but i still have a couple tips to make sure you get something out of it. first of all, practise it within the time limit. if you run out of time, draw a line under your work or swap pen colours, then complete the paper when you find the time. unless you get used to the timings, your time management in the actual exam will fail you and you won't show your full potential. secondly, mark harshly. if you aren't sure if you deserved that mark, don't give it a tick or a half mark. scrutinise your work so that you know the minimum grade you could get if you keep working at your level; it's better to mark under than over. finally, always try your very best. i knew too many people who would give 50% and claim they'd "actually try" in the real exams: this will not work out! don't be afraid to try your best and fail - this is how you get better. if you don't try your best and you do poorly, you'll never know if your best is good enough to pass.

e) summaries this technique is somewhat similar to flashcards, but for those who prefer notes that stay together so you can revise whole topics really quickly. divide everything into topics again, as you did for the flashcards, but this time, choose the key trigger words that make up each section. essentially, it's like making bullet point notes but even more minimalist - use words, acronyms, symbols, anything to explain bits of information in the smallest space possible. write everything down from each topic in this way - you should be left with a booklet of a few pages that will trigger your memory of the details. this is for when you really know the content though - beware if you haven't fully learnt it!

f) revision guide naturally, you should use your revision guide to study for your exams. however, you could also misuse them in revision, which could easily waste your time and effort. don't just simply read through your revision guide - not only will you probably fall asleep, you probably won't retain most of the information. try to engage with the text - highlight keywords and phrases (only important ones - don't highlight the whole book) or underline important passages in red pen. when you highlight certain words, you will automatically read them when you see the page, making your revision much quicker. when you underline sentences in a bright colour like red, you're forced to actually read the text and understand it instead of skimming absent-mindedly. complete the activities in your revision guides and try to get any revision workbooks available too. active revision is the best revision. when you've finished a session, write down everything you can remember about what you've read, then compare it to the actual content. whatever you've forgotten, revise next time.

g) videos need more visual revision techniques? videos can be really helpful if you can't really grasp a concept. there are channels on youtube like crash course that provide educational content that might tie into your course. type in the topic you're studying and voila - loads of videos that can explain it for you. pick ones that you know you can access mentally - sometimes a university-level lecture on derivatives isn't actually going to help you more than a 5 minute video with diagrams and bright graphics. don't bother watching something too hard or too easy - click off as soon as you know it isn't right. if you do find a good video, try to engage with it as much as possible - take notes, test yourself, etc. you never know, you might learn something new to use in your exam!

h) quote competitions this is a bit of an unusual one but it's one i liked the most before my english exams. once you have learnt the key quotes from your text, challenge a friend to a quote competition. you start by giving a quotation and they have to respond with a different one. keep going until someone repeats a quotation, says one incorrectly or simply runs out. these can go on for quite long if you have both revised well - me and my friend would practise while lining up for the exams and neither of us would lose by the time we had to go inside. you can also up the ante a little by adding extra rules: make them say the scene or chapter, the speaker or the context. this is a nice competitive way to check your knowledge and a good way to show off your memory of 'macbeth' or 'the great gatsby', if that's something you'd like to do.

i) teaching someone else my last tip is, in my opinion, my best tip: teach someone else! find someone that either knows nothing about it or doesn't understand it yet and explain it to them. this doesn't even have to be someone who can understand you - tell your phone, your dog, your baby sister… it doesn't matter! your teachers only know the material so well because they have to understand it well enough to explain it to someone else. so become a teacher yourself! i ended up teaching a lot of peers in all of my subjects; i even set up a temporary revision booster for classmates about 'macbeth' because i'd studied shakespeare for so long. it's good for your cv, it's good for the people you help and it's good for you, because that way you are making sure you understand and remember the material while you do the same for them. anyway, who knows when you might need help? when you've been revising well enough according to a regular timetable, you will be 100% ready to ace all your tests. breathe regularly before your exam, smile and tell yourself that you will do amazingly - this is proven to improve your performance - then walk in and take your seat. while in the exam, work quickly and neatly, thoroughly read through and attempt all questions, then check your work at the end. so long as you know the content, the skills and the timings, you should be able to really succeed. and if you feel like you're lacking confidence, know that everyone here online believes in you and wants you to do well.