We as students find examinations to be the most stressful time of year than anything else. It is not a matter of being sharp or dull, even for the most hardworking, prepared students examinations can be equally challenging. During examinations days, students find it extremely hectic to cope amid school schedule, exam preparation alongside lots of other school work and tasks to maintain. The last couple of weeks before examinations can be very stressful for the school going student. Many students feel nervous and overwhelmed during or before examinations resulting in getting sick or sleep deprived.

But getting stressed or nervous before the examination is not going to help. Rather it can prove to be more troublesome. It might also have a negative impact on the overall performance on exam. So it is better to organise one's mind before exam and know the tips and tricks to prepare for it even during the last couple of weeks before examination.

Here in this blog, we share some of the most effective last minute revision and study tips for examination preparation of students that will help them stay calm and composed during the exam high pressure and make sure that they pass with flying colours.

1. Prioritizing the Time

It's very important to prioritize your time before the last week of your exams. You must be well prepared with your time management skills so that you prepare with a cool mind-set. Once you are planned with the time management, your study becomes much more easier. Always keep in mind that you need to think about it prior on which topic or subject you are going to invest the most of your time or the least. The greatest help to you will be of printing out a copy of your syllabus with the number of chapters, names and topics that are important for your exams. Once you do that for each of your subjects, you get a list of all the important information that you are expected to know about. Highlight the list with colours that will catch your attention so that you get an idea on which topics you need to work on and prioritize with the time you are left with. Highlight the topics with Green that you're confident about, Orange that you are doubtful of and highlight in Red the topics that you are not prepared with.

2. Say No to Technology While Studying

Yes, this might sound lame but it's very much effective. Before a week or two of exams, try to dedicate your time without the consumption of technology. It may be tough to study without a phone, laptop or tablet nearby. But to cut out these gadgets and focus only on books helps to a great extend while preparing for exams before a week or two. This will not only help you to focus on the task you're working on without being distracted, but help your brain process the information better and faster. Avoiding technology can be of huge benefit as it keeps you away from getting carried away by different things on the Internet.

3. Condensing Information

When the time is really short for exam preparation and learning of certain topics, it's always a great idea to condense the most important topics and information related to it to one page of notes. Always keep in your mind that time is extremely precious. So you must not waste it by copying paragraphs from your books. Instead of that bullet point whatever you need to read so that you can digest it in short time and remember the information easily. Depending on the subject, note down the points that are important and do not forget to include key concepts, dates and important names, examples and evaluating or conflicting arguments.

4. Using Memory Tricks

Reading out repeatedly would not help during revision sessions to make things stick longer in your memory. Using of memory tricks might sound like it's a strategy for younger students but using rhyming words, mnemonics and humorous anecdotes can be really of great help when the question is about remembering the key facts, statistics and names/dates. Using Memory Tricks is also an easy and quick method that a student can master within just a day or two before exam to help sharpen your memory ahead of exams.

5. Reviewing Each Subject

Revising a subject might not be enough if you are not sure whether you understood everything about it or not. When you think you have spent enough time revising a subject, it’s important you allow time to review the topic to make sure you understand everything that is included in it. A great way of doing this is to simply talk about whatever you have learnt or memorised to a friend or family member. Just explaining a subject aloud to your friend or family member for about 10 minutes without holding any notes is one of the most brilliant ideas to revise. It is also a fantastic opportunity to test yourself and consolidate your revision. From this point, if you find that you're not quite sure about certain areas, you can quickly go back and review it. It's always better to do this a week before exams so that you have enough time to go over the topics you know you need to re-read rather than realising whilst you’re actually sitting for your exam.

6. Take Breaks

With days leading up to examination, its understandable that revision will become the priority for students. However, it is important that you do not overdo it and end up being exhausted, stressed or overload your brain. This will only reduce the quality of your learning. Always prioritize taking regular breaks between your study time. In a 45 minutes study session take a break of 10 minutes. Doing this means that you have a much higher chance of remembering what you’ve just been studying. We also recommend taking a few hours off to relax. Try going out for a walk, reading a book or having a chat with a friend or your family member. This way when you come back to your revision you will feel refreshed and ready to go for more revision.

7. Stay Positive

Do not panic just because your exams have come closer and is about to start within few days. In fact, try developing a positive attitude that will go a long way during the stressful time and help you stay calm. Just keep in mind that you have your required time to digest information and you'll be surprised about how much you progressed in your preparation.  Just try to stay calm, take deep breaths and remind yourself that its just an exam. You can always do better.