2022 is coming to a close, and Christmas is at your doorstep. You may be excited about the presents others have gotten for you, or you may be excited about that fantastic present you will give someone else. However, you shouldn’t forget about being giving towards yourself—and in that spirit, the best gift you can give yourself this year is to reflect on the year that has passed.
An end-of-year review is a unique opportunity to prime yourself for the next year, and you better take it! Let’s end the year on a high note 🎇
Reflect on Everything You Managed to Learn (It’s a Lot!)
Let’s start by reflecting on what we have picked up throughout this past year. Reviewing the past year is a great thing to do, whether you are a DP1 or a DP2 student. First, grab a pen and a blank piece of paper (or an empty Google Docs sheet). Then I want you to pick one of your subjects and start writing everything you remember learning. It doesn’t need to be fully coherent or legible; short phrases are enough. Think of every sub-topic you went through, letting one thought lead to the next. You will find that you have learnt an incredible amount—perhaps even more than you would have thought! It will be satisfying to see how much you have picked up
Reflect on Your Weaknesses
Once you have that list of everything you have learnt, you should compare it to the table of contents in your book. See which chapters you have covered in class and forget about, and note those down as the sub-topics you should prioritise revising over the break.
You can do this for every subject, and you should know more about your strengths and weaknesses. Combining this with the ideas from the retrospective timetable is also great.
It can sometimes be challenging to identify your weaknesses on your own, so having a tutor to help you can be a great idea. Check out our fantastic tutors, who would love to help you right here!
Reviewing Tests from the Past Year
The DP2 students amongst you will probably have mock exams coming up, so now is a great chance to hone your exam skills. One way to do that, beyond reading through our blog posts about it, is to reflect on the tests you have had to sit this past year. Find some of the past papers you have had to write (especially the ones you had to do in class as a simulated exam), and try to spot patterns in what you do wrong. Read through the feedback your teachers have given you. Does anything appear over and over again?
Also, try to think back on what the tests were like. Were you well-prepared and calm? Or were you always scrambling and stressed out? If you did stress out, what caused it? Now is a great time to think about what could go better next time.
Celebrate Your Accomplishments
Part of reflecting is to feel proud of everything you have achieved. Of course, we don’t want to develop too much hubris, but it is meaningful to acknowledge and respect ourselves for all the hard work we have put in. No one can take that away from you!
Now, enjoy your holidays and prepare to do even better in 2023!
