There comes a time in every student's life when those things that you dread begin to loom on the horizon. Depending upon how confident you are about them, your horizon will either be measured in months, or maybe days. What am I talking about? Of course I mean examinations. You may be about to go into mid term mock examinations or you could be facing your final tests.
Whatever your situation and whenever you are going to be sat in an examination room it is never too early to start getting ready for those tests. Thorough preparation will provide you with a strong foundation and will give you the confidence and belief that you can do them and that you will get the grades you want.
I am often asked for my top ten tips when it comes to exam success and over the years I have accumulated many ideas (most of them captured in my e-book "The 77 Habits of Highly Effective Students"). However if I were to limit myself to ten it would be the following:
1. Find your own deep and compelling reason to successfully learn your subject and pass your exams.
2. Plan your time to include study, revision and social commitments - a balance of having fun, taking breaks and studying is vital.
3. Use multi-coloured Mind Maps® for your notes.
4. Review your notes regularly to reinforce your new-found knowledge.
5. Swiftly skim through your text books and course material before you read them in depth to give you an overview of your subject.
6. Learn how to remember lists of things by linking each item to a location on a journey or route you are familiar with around your town. You could even use your own home.
7. Before you do any revision, warm up by doing some gentle exercise to relieve any tension in your body and to get a rush of healthy oxygen flowing to your brain.
8. Do past papers under thorough exam conditions as often as possible to familiarise yourself with the format and the pressures of working under exam conditions.
9. In an exam, make sure you read the question completely and fully understand what the examiner wants before you allocate your time and begin answering the questions.
10. If you are faced with a mental block breathe deeply, relax and ask yourself "If I did know the answer to this question, what would it be?"
