How I revised for my GCSEs – Hannah Robinson

First of all, I had the mind-set of “it’s never too early to start revision” because the earlier you start, the less rushed and panicked you are when it comes to the exam period – you already have revision notes that you can build upon and modify if you want to. The most effective way I revised was to rewrite the information in my school books or revision guides in an easily-readable way – either a poster, mind map, or well set out notes that I could easily refer to if I needed to. Diet and sleep are also significant factors in your exams; it isn’t just about how well you sleep that one night before the exam, it’s about how well you sleep every night during exam time. You should aim for about 8 hours sleep per night, so I never stayed up until 11pm or later rushing through last minute revision. It’s much better to get up a bit earlier in the morning, have a good breakfast and then continue revising in the time you have before it’s time to leave for school. Eating properly is vital during exam times as the last thing you want is to be exhausted and unable to think properly. A well-balanced diet especially during the exam period is key; if you have an exam in the morning, make sure you have a particularly nutritious breakfast that morning so that you have enough energy to walk into the exam hall feeling fully awake and able to do whatever the exam throws at you to the best of your ability. Energy drinks and chocolate first thing on a morning are not the way forward, as much as you might like it to be!