How to Revise for exams- with a little help from BIC

With so many youngsters being amidst their exams I have reflected on my
education. I was horrendous at revising. I think that if I had revised in a
more methodical way and planned my time better I would have done so
much better in my exams. Luckily for us we have teamed up with BIC to
give you some tips to make the process that little bit easier.

Exam Survival Tips

Have balance –

You’ve probably heard the old adage, everything in moderation. It’s
important to find a balance between relaxation and study. If students relax
too much, exam study tends to fall behind and vice versa. Relaxation can
help the mind to think more clearly and rationally, as well as helping the
brain to absorb information for future recall. If you’re finding it hard to
focus, try exercises in mindfulness as they can help to clear your mind.
You can find additional advice here: http://bit.ly/1TNHVzm

Don’t let stress get the better of you–

A small amount of stress can be heathy for productivity. Stress is your
body’s way of letting you know that you are behind. This is the signal that
maybe it is time to stop relaxing and hit the books again. There is a vast
difference between a small amount of stress and feeling completely
overwhelmed. If you are feeling overwhelmed, you may find it useful to
write a list and order it by priority. This can help you keep track of what
you have studied and what you have left. Which leads us to our next
point…

Make a schedule –

Before you start studying it’s important to plan ahead. There is no point
studying ad hoc as your brain will miss vital pieces of information. Some
people may find it easier to prioritise study by exam order. If you have a
history exam first and a math’s exam last, it would make sense to start
with history revision. The key to remember here is be realistic. You cannot
cram an entire subject into a three-hour period. Allow enough time to
finish, summarise and then take a short break. This can also help with
alleviating stress.

Log out of social media –

The need to ‘love’, ‘like’, or ‘wow’ your
best-friend’s status may be strong, but is this imperative in the middle of
studying? Social media is a large distractor with many students checking
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or other social feeds before they get out of
bed in the morning and before they go to sleep at night. The need to stay
constantly connected can be beneficial but when the end of term exams
are on the horizon, social media needs to take a back seat. Simply
shutting the app down is not far enough. Turning off all push notifications
can also help to limit distractions

Make yourself accountable to someone else –

There is a reason you see famous sport stars training together or hiring
personal trainers at a gym – they keep you accountable. You may be more
likely to spend an extra 5 minutes on the couch or replace that light bulb that has been blown for the last four years unless there is someone
keeping you accountable to your schedule. There are two schools of
thought on an ‘accountability buddy’. The first is to choose someone
studying the same courses as you. This person will undoubtedly
understand your work load, schedule and course content. Nevertheless,
this can often be a distraction without even noticing.  The second is to pick someone who doesn’t know your course curriculum.
This person will be more objective to the time you spend on each subject.

They can also help to set goals that are encompassing of all the study
rather than focus on each individual course. A downside of this is, they
might not understand that one class or topic requires more hours than
others. It’s important to remember that everyone studies differently.

Have your tools ready –

This seems rather obvious, but you would be
surprised at the number of students that set foot into exams without
testing their pens, pencils and highlighters only to find that they don’t
work. BIC pride themselves on their exemplary track record with quality
products. With just one BIC® 4COLOURS™ pen you will be able to take
notes during class, underline important elements in different colours,
revise and complete the exam without having the added worry of
changing pens or the ink running out. With enough ink to write 8km (on
average), you may even find yourself using the same pen time and time
again.

Here is our checklist of the products you are most likely going to
need walking into these exams: 

 BIC® 4COLOURS™ pen – four ink colours in one pen, making it the
ultimate study tool
 Tipp-Ex® Correction Tape – a quick-fix for any little mistakes
 BIC® Evolution™ Pencil – an ultra-resistant, wood-free HB lead pencil
ideal for drafting essays
 BIC® Highlighter – highlighters are perfect for emphasising
important points in a question, making it easier to formulate the
answer

Eat well –

As important as stationery and study is, what you put into your body also
needs to be high on the agenda. Your body needs brain food like fruit,
vegetables, omega oils, protein and grains. Having a balanced diet will
help you concentrate and sleep in the evenings. After all, there is no point
writing 8km of notes if you are unable to stay focused!

Other tips –

Do what works for you, some people may study well with music, others
may find it a distraction. The best piece of advice BIC® can give you is to
spread yourself out. Instead of making little piles of notes, have them
sitting beside each other or even stick them on the wall so you see the key
messages daily while revising. Use different coloured BIC® highlighters for
each subject. When looking at what will seem like a mountain of paper,
these colours will help you distinguish which subject is where. Make
yourself comfortable – change the height of your chair and the backrest
before you begin. If you don’t, the temptation to fiddle half way through

Good luck All!