Exam season is finally here, and our guess is you’re in dire need of an organised revision schedule. Not the untidy paper ones that tend to rip or get lost within a week, but a foolproof plan that ensures that you’ve covered all the topics that will help you shelve those top marks.

If you’re new to the idea of a revision schedule, do follow along as this is an essential part of exam prep. Implementing a revision schedule won't just save you from the horrors of procrastination, but will give you a guideline on adequately covering everything you have learnt over the year.

We’re here to give you a head start! Keep reading for our handy tips and tricks to help create the ideal revision schedule for you.

Use a digital calendar or timetable.

Paper schedules are a thing of the past – they rip easily, can't be adjusted and tend to get very messy. Turn over a new (virtual) leaf by upgrading to a digital calendar or timetable this study season.

What can a digital timetable do that your traditional pen and paper can’t?

Well, you gain the ability to access your timetable anytime and anywhere, change it in an instant, easily colour-code it, and customise it as much as you want. The flexibility will allow you to change your study times to when it suits your schedule, ensuring that you never miss revising for your exams. 

You don’t need to limit this timetable to studying, particularly during exam season. Instead, plan out your whole day – meals, workouts or gaming sessions – put it all in there. Now, procrastination isn't a viable option since your entire day is on a schedule. You don’t need to plan your whole day down to the minute; make sure you figure out how strict or lenient you need to be with your own personal time so that it works for you. Just make sure you start with planning out your study periods!

In 2021, there are numerous apps and platforms almost begging you to use their timetabling functionality… make the most of them! Some of the more popular ones are Google Calendar, Adapt and MyStudyLife.

Get your subjects straight.

We all have subjects that we are great at, and then some we just can't seem to understand Unless you're the next Stephen Hawking, you're going to need this tip.

Spend more time with the weaker subjects! Make sure to pull up those grades in order to get a consistently high mark across the board. We're guessing that the subjects you don't like much are the weaker ones. Unfortunately, those are the ones you’ll have to start with.

Get extra help from teachers, tutors, parents or the smartest person in your class and just get it done. The stronger subjects will do just fine with less revision. You’re only as strong as your weakest link. 

One way to approach this is to open up a Google Doc for each subject and list down all of its topics. Now, next to them, write down how many marks they are worth in the exam. Pick out the topics with the most marks and start with them. This way, you will ensure that you have got the higher mark questions out of the way. This is an effective way to focus your time if time is one thing you’re running out of before exam day! 

Another approach is to match up a weaker subject with a stronger one. Put your more vulnerable subjects at the very start of your timetable and allot more time to them, then add in your stronger ones. By doing this, you make sure to cover all the gaps. For example, Maths is quite tricky for quite a few of us, so do that first and then work on an easier one such as History. 

Document your study methods in your timetable.

Revising can become quite tedious, causing you to procrastinate and scramble for your notes the day before the exam. That's why it's imperative to change it up a bit to keep the energy levels up. It adds a little bit of excitement to the task. We all know that reading over notes repeatedly isn’t the most efficient way to study. Flashcards, quizzes, mock exams, or even a little brother asking you questions will ensure that you will get a deeper understanding of the subject.

How does this relate to your study timetable? Well, for each study session, you can note down which subjects and topics you will be covering, as well as the revision method you’ll use. The more information you keep on your calendar, the better you can keep track of your exam prep. This will help to hold you accountable to the different methods that you know will improve your study performance overall.

All it takes is 40 minutes!

We recommend you split your study time slots on your calendar into thirty- to forty-minute slots. This way, you will cover various topics from different subjects in a shorter period of time. Add in a break of five to ten minutes after every session to stop your brain from exploding and then get back at it.

Of course, it’s important to find the blocks of time that work for you. No matter how long you keep your study sessions, though – whether they range from two hours to a full day’s work – breaking them up into blocks will keep you focused.

A time goal such as this is another way to keep you accountable and stop yourself from wasting time. You’ll cover more material in a shorter amount of time and will have more of your day back to do other things you enjoy!

Regular refreshers:

Finally! You’ve followed your calendar and completed all of your subjects with a couple of days to spare. If you do manage to reach this stage, don't get too comfy; you've got one last step to go… a refresher course.

Most people ditch their calendars once they finish their revision, but it’s always important to come back to the topics you’ve covered at the beginning in order to refresh your understanding. This is why we insist that you schedule time to revisit some of the older topics you may have done at the beginning. Once it's on your calendar, it’ll be harder to make excuses not to do it.

EduExperts specialises in helping people like you achieve their educational goals. Want to know more? Get in touch with your local centre here.