The Easter holidays are finally here! Even if you don’t celebrate Easter, you’re probably excited at the prospect of no uni for a few weeks. But there’s still have the burden of revising for those unavoidable upcoming exams (boo)! Some of you might be heading back to your family home, or taking the opportunity to go on holiday. While others may have decided to stay in London student accommodation for the Easter break. Wherever you are, what you all have in common, is that you probably want to forget about university and all that comes along with it.
But unfortunately for some “unlucky” students, revision is all that you’ll be done during the Easter period. And I’m sure that you’ve all said at least once “I will do my assignments or revision over the holidays”. But this never really seems to happen quite as easily as you’d like.
So, to help get you prepared and in the mood for studying, make sure your room and workspace is well organised and tidy before you get started. A messy room means a messy life. And a cluttered desk means a cluttered brain; well that’s a little extreme, but it certainly won’t help you focus or work to your maximum efficiency level. You should also work in a quiet place, avoiding any potential distractions. That includes the urge to browse Facebook or other social media sites – no matter how tempting it might be.
And no matter how hard you try to avoid it, studying is always going to be inevitable as a student. But you can make it easier by creating a realistic plan of what you intend to study and for how long on each day. Having a plan in place will give structure to your work. It will also ensure all corners are covered and no topics are missed or given more/less time than needed.
If you have to write an assignment, the biggest mistake you can do is to tell yourself that you will write 800 (or however many words you set as target) per day. You shouldn’t put such expectations on yourself; word count isn’t everything. Instead of setting a goal for the word count, decide how long you’ll commit to researching or writing each day. Even if you only write 100 words on one day, it doesn’t mean you’ve had a bad day studying. You may have spent longer researching, understanding and preparing notes for the assignment so you’re ready to go again tomorrow and finish it off…
Wow, studying can be tough. It’s exhausting just thinking about what needs to be done. But remember, it’s not all about the work – you need sufficient breaks too. People who find the balance between study and leisure will often be the ones who achieve top marks. Be it a cinema break with your friends to catch the latest movie or even an hour of gaming on your favourite console – a break will easily take your mind off things and enable you to get back into those books with more zeal and passion.
Exercise and physical activity are also very important during study time. Whether it’s a 30-minute jog, a leisurely swim or a quick session in the gym after a day of revision, you’ll notice a big difference to your well-being. Physical activity increases your heart rate, making the blood circulate faster around your body, which in turn ensures that the brain gets more oxygen – consequently reducing tiredness and stress, and increasing productivity. The same goes for a good diet while you study. Avoid drinking alcohol and stay hydrated – drinking a lot of water will help to purify your body and soul. And when the day’s done, refuel with a nutritious meal rich in vitamins and minerals to boost your energy levels.
Other tricks that will help your studying include using colours to highlight important information in your books or lecture notes. Highlighting will make these areas stand out and easier to read, which in turn will aid with remembering them. It is also a well-known fact that studying old exam papers from previous years will not only get you up to speed and familiar with what to expect, but they’re a good indication of what topic areas are of key importance and areas that may require more revision. But remember, although they’re a good indication, exam papers do change so don’t put all your eggs in one basket by simply revising what has been examined before – as you might get caught out!
Most importantly, remember to take some time out to rest and refuel over the holidays. Ok, that might not seem possible if you have lots of work and exams to prepare for. But you won’t do yourself any favours trying to do them if you’re tired and stressed. Follow the tips above and you’ll find your revision easier and your Easter break far more productive; yet still have plenty of free time to relax and enjoy with family and friends.
After a busy day of studying or out at university, there’s nothing better than coming home to a place you can relax. At Host, we offer friendly, welcoming and comfortable student accommodation for you to enjoy whilst at university. For more information about summer accommodation or during the academic year 2017/18, contact us today!
