How To Revise Effectively During The Easter Break
By Rebecca Maher on March 30th, 2023
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Our guide on how to revise effectively
With exams season approaching, Easter is the perfect time to get started on revision. If you are looking at how to revise effectively during the Easter Break, here are our top revision tips.
Set Your Goals
Try not to do everything all at once. Instead, have clear and achievable goals of what to complete with a revision timetable to work towards. A good revision technique to start with is mind maps. Being organised and planning your revision can reduce exam stress and help you make the best use of your time.
Work Out Your Exact Time & Use It Well
Plan revision around your university timetable to plan revision sessions. By making your revision timetable fit around your schedule, you’ll be able to revise effectively.
Be flexible
Unexpected changes may happen, and it is important to adapt your plan.
Prioritize your tasks
Identify the most important tasks you need to complete and prioritize them as needed. You will avoid feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
Manage Your Distractions
During revision time, avoid distractions such as social media, movies, or gaming. Find a quiet and comfortable space to study so you don’t waste time procrastinating. Understand what your distractions are so you can avoid these as much as possible. Once your revision sessions are complete, you can then reward yourself with some well earnt you time!
Think Quality, Not Quantity
Quality revision is much more important than the amount of revision you do and understand the most important concepts within each revision topic. You can achieve more revision and even better, achieve great exam results too!
Embrace Mind Maps
Mind mapping helps break down information clearly and makes understanding information much easier, especially if you are more of a visual learner. Try to keep mind maps simple to avoid confusion.
Flash Cards
One of the best uses of flash cards is to self-quiz. You can even get a friend or family member to quiz you on different topics. A lot of ready-made flash cards come with self-quizzing questions on the front and the answers on the back, these are also easy to create yourself.
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Create a Calm Study Space
A clear space creates a clear mind. Always make sure your study space is well organised and laid out. You’ll be a lot more productive in an environment that you associate with working. So, set yourself up at your desk or haul yourself down to the library. There are so many study spots available across your university cities. For example if you are studying in Leeds, take a look at CitySide resident Karissa’s top 3 study spots.
Take Regular Breaks
Regular breaks during revision time are important to avoid burnout and help concentration. Consider taking a 10–15-minute break after every study session. Allow yourself to enjoy something you like. Whether it’s a chat with friends or family or your favourite meal in a reel dish!
Don’t Forget to enjoy the Easter Break!
As much as revising and smashing those pending exams is important, your mental health and wellbeing are equally important. Spacing out your short getaways and experiencing new things are one of our top tips to rest, so find out more on the best easter holiday destinations for students.
Switch Topics & Review Your Progress Regularly
Switching topics regularly when studying prevents boredom and keeps you engaged in the study time. You will also maintain motivation and avoid burnout and have a clear understanding of any areas of weakness. Reviewing your revision progress regularly helps you to understand what information you have retained.
Look For Past Papers or Practice Questions
Lecture slides and past papers are both great ways to work out what’s likely to come up in paper questions, so make use of them and test your knowledge. You don’t necessarily need to answer them all in full, but you can write quick plans of how you’d approach them. It’s also worth reading the whole paper before answering any questions. That way, your brain has time to subconsciously work on the next answers.
Stay Healthy
Take care of your physical and mental health during the Easter break. This includes eating healthily, getting enough sleep and taking regular exercise breaks. Burn off the stress with a power hour in your resident gym.
Sleep Well
Make sure you have plenty of rest, so you have enough energy for revision sessions. Consider an early rise so you have the whole day ahead. A solid 6 to 8 hours is the advised amount of sleep needed. Exhaustion won’t help you perform, and your brain needs time to process all the things you’ve been revising the day before.
Things To Avoid During Easter Revision
Cramming– don’t leave revision until the last minute. Everybody is guilty of doing it, but trying to remember everything all at once takes up too much energy.
Working without a break- When planning your day, make sure you include gaps to rest, eat and stay healthy and hydrated.
Relying on a single method of revision- try various methods of revision. Whether it is mind maps, notes, or even revision sessions with friends. Make the most of our Downing Students’ study spaces with your friends and course mates.
Revising on your least productive day- if your energy is low and you have a busy day, consider short periods of revision sessions.
Tips For The Day of the Exam
- Get an early night the night before.
- Have a good breakfast and stay hydrated.
- Be on time for hand-in or exams.
- See if your university or student union is planning revision sessions.
Take a look at our 10 study tips for keeping on top of university for more revision tips on how to revise effectively.
