June 2013
Tips and tricks for your exams
By Vikram Ajit Rajan Thirupathirajan 10S
Finally, the time has come when those chairs and tables once again fill the sports hall, the school looks slightly empty and quiet has come around. Yes, exams have arrived. But although setting aside at least a month to revise your topics is vital, it all depends on how you perform inside the exam room on the day.
By now, all the students on study leave, Years 11, 12 and 13, should have revised all their topics thoroughly for all their exams. You year 10s just had your last set of half term holidays and it’ s useful for you
to know how to use that time wisely. The first thing to do is plan out your revision carefully. A timetable is useful as it helps you to stay on schedule and cover your topics properly. Remember to always include breaks so that you don’ t end up stressed
4 and tired. Next, the revision begins. You should have already revised all your topics and made notes on them, so you can now start the specific revision techniques. These techniques are ones that work best for each specific subject. For example, doing various maths problems is best when revising in maths while writing key points on post-it notes can be better for other subjects like science. You should also use the method that is best for you. Once you have done that, try doing some past papers and examination style questions. These give you an idea of what is likely to appear in your exam.
Now after your holidays, all of you have just a few days before an exam. During this time, you should continue to practice more of the examination style questions and go over your revision notes about once or twice every evening. Try to keep fit and healthy as much as possible to reduce the risk of health problems during the day of the exam. On the night before, you could try to revise a little. What is most important though, is to get a good night’ s sleep so go to bed early so your brain is working well the next day.
On the actual day, two things can be done. If your exam is in the morning, try to do any last minute revising during your breakfast. However try not to think about it when at school before the exam because that may get you tense. If your exam is in the afternoon, you could look through your notes during lunch-time but
stop revising at least 15 minutes before the exam to get your brain relaxed. Then enter the exam room with a positive attitude and give it your best!