Revision can seem like a huge task, but follow these 5 simple steps and you will guarantee exam success and an awesome IB grade.
1) Start Early!
It’s never too early to start being awesome. So start right now. This doesn’t mean you have to revise 10 hours a day from now on – you would probably just burn out. But, if you start making sure you’re comfortable with topics you’ve covered so far, you will be really well prepared at exam time, so start right now!
2) List your subjects and break them down
Write out each subject on a new piece of paper. Under that subject heading, write all the topics. Within those write the things that you want to cover – yours might look a bit like this:
Biology HL
Topic 2: Cell Theory
Syllabus point 2.1.8 – Multicellular specialisation (do practise questions from textbook and revise from class notes (especially the teacher’s diagrams 1 2 & 3)).
In English you might list out the books you’ve read and the main ideas in each. In math, the different topics and the different equations you have to master, and so on.
3) Write next to each task how long it will take you.
How long would it take you to learn a biology diagram, for example? 20 minutes each? In that case write that it would take you an hour for the three diagrams mentioned above. Note: give yourself more time than you think you need, this is better than needing more time and having none left!
4) Print out a real calendar and write what you’re going to study on each day.
I love my Google calendar, but for your revision schedule you want a real paper calendar. Having something written on paper in front of you will give you motivation to get work done. Furthermore, having a calendar stuck on your wall will make sure that your revision doesn’t just get forgotten. Plus you will feel like an awesome hard working student!
To get a free Wall Planner (perfect for planning revision) posted to you, go here!
5) Plan breaks and days off
Did you know that on average a person can only concentrate on a topic for 25 minutes? This means that after 25 minutes, you should take a break – otherwise you’ll just get distracted. Make sure you plan breaks in to your revision and then be strict and make sure you take them. Similarly the happiest and most successful students know how to take time off. So make sure you plan some down-time with your friends or family so you enjoy your time during the IB.
GOOD LUCK! Do these things and I know you’ll ace it.
The importance of pre-exam routines!
