Revision Tips for Uni Students Looking to Smash Exams Before A Summer of Adventure

If you consider yourself a procrastinator, let us reassure you that you are not alone!

Research has suggested a whopping 75% of students consider themselves to be procrastinators. In which case, the word ‘revision’ probably makes you let out an involuntary groan and you find yourself making 500 cups of tea, getting out the duster or even hoover (for the first time in your uni life!), basically anything to avoid diving into a mammoth textbook.

Fear not though, there’s an ever-growing body of research that means we actually know far more about the science of learning than before. For all our students heading out to Fiji with us this summer, we wanted to share some revision gems with you to make preparing for those all-important end-of-year exams all the more manageable!

These tips are also ideal to leverage during our volunteer projects in Fiji, to help support child education and development.

So, let’s dive in!

Revision Tips For Uni Students

Little and often

If we think about a good actor, there’s very little chance they would leave rehearsals to the night before and the same can be said for an athlete. Their preparation for an event takes time and dedication. When it comes to revision we can apply the same technique by revising little and often to improve our chances of success.

Drawing up a revision timetable could be a huge help with this. Research has consistently shown that by ‘spacing’ your revision you are far more likely to remember what you’ve learnt. If you’re interested in the science behind the technique, it has been suggested that spacing gives your brain time to forget and re-learn the information, which encourages it to move into your long-term rather than short-term memory.

Study partner

Let it never be underestimated, the importance of choosing who you study with wisely! When chosen carefully, there are a number of suggested benefits of revising with a companion. For instance, if the person you are with has a good work ethic, it is likely to positively affect your own work ethic. Research has shown this to be the case regardless of whether what is being studied is related to each other or not. A big bonus then is that your study partner doesn’t necessarily need to be on the same course as you, giving you more options to choose wisely!

Share the knowledge

Your revision-buddy could also be used as someone to teach. The Protégé Effect suggests that by teaching material to someone else, you need to organise and learn information in a clear and structured way and that this in turn helps aid memory.

Testing

This can be done alone or with those carefully chosen revision companions. It may mean powering through some past paper questions (but don’t forget the benefits of ‘spacing!), or creating small quizzes and flashcards. Often referred to as ‘retrieval practise’, testing, has been studied in depth and research consistently shows it can increase the likelihood of you remembering those all important facts, whilst quickly identifying any gaps in knowledge. Furthermore, testing can have the added benefit of potentially lessening the stress of the exam situation.

Sleep

The power of sleep is a truly wonderful thing! Regular bedtimes, that don’t involve being on your mobile phone have been shown to have a positive effect on our memory. Knowing when to stop can be difficult but if you find yourself nodding off to sleep the moment your head hits the pillow, then you probably should be going to bed earlier.

Motivation

Our favourite tip has been saved until last! Revising well doesn’t have to be all about the work. An element of reward in between revision sessions or once the hard slog of exams is over can be a great motivator! If you are able to find the balance between work and reward then you’re on your way to a better chance of success. Be it that chocolate bar glaring at you from the counter, an evening trip to the cinema with friends or something far greater such as volunteering in Fiji with us here at Think Pacific, having something to look forward to can be empowering!

Learn More about Think Pacific

However you choose to revise, don’t forget to think positive! The pressure of exams these days is a tricky thing to manage and it’s important you use the strategies that work best for you. If you are considering something to look forward to as a big motivator to get cracking with revision then this is where Think Pacific may come in. If you want to find out more about a unique adventure with Think Pacific then please pop our friendly team an email today or download a brochure to learn more.