There are usually two challenges that conspire to make revision time miserable: the first is the stress of approaching exams and the sense that there is an overwhelming amount of information to learn in an ever-dwindling period of time. Even spending time with friends, intended for relaxation, can just be a reminder of the exams you’ll be sitting together and the work you ought to be doing. The second is the boredom; the feeling of oppression that comes with the knowledge that the next week, or month, or six weeks, will be consumed entirely with the business of studying.

Of course, there will be days when revision is actually quite enjoyable – when you feel like you’re achieving a lot every day, piecing different parts of your subjects together, and finally understanding things that have eluded you for months. But equally, the majority of us have just as many bad days, when we’re studying a particularly difficult topic, progress is slow or we just can’t focus. And on those days, the classic study tips seem totally redundant.

So, here are some quirky study tips, new ideas to boost your concentration and motivation, when everything seems impossible and you’re dangerously close to just giving up and watching old episodes of Friends all afternoon. 

  1. Question Yourself

The best way to break down and study a concept is to ask yourself questions from what you are studying. This will enable you to have an idea of the questions you will find in your question paper and chances are that you might find yourself staring at the same question you asked yourself while studying that particular concept.

  1. Teach Each Other

Another way to prepare is by breaking down concepts among a small group of friends and then teaching each other what you have learned.

  1. Ditch your books

This is where note-making comes into play. Would you prefer going through key points and remembering them instead of turning through countless pages of your textbooks to find each concept that you need to study? Also, note-making helps in final minute preparations where instead of cramming yourself with information, you could glance through your notes and evaluate your final preparations before the exam.

  1. Break it down

Break down your concepts into smaller sub-concepts. You can further use your imagination to remember what you study and then piece it together, like a story. Furthermore, it’s easier to study smaller fragments quickly and this will definitely help in boosting your motivation to move on to a tougher concept.

  1. Exercise is vital

Annoyingly, for those of us who prefer an afternoon on the sofa with a movie to a walk or a game of cricket, it’s been proven a hundred times over: regular exercise boosts concentration. What’s more, whole days, weeks or even months spent in the library or your room, working towards a single goal, with no distractions or social interaction is very bad for morale, efficiency, and concentration. A great way to break revision up, see some human faces and get moving is to plan to do something active and fun once a day.

In the end, motivation is key to success. If motivation is found to be lacking, then concentrating on the task at hand will feel more like climbing a mountain when, in reality, you just have to run up a hill. Don’t take revision time lightly. It is essential that you do something productive each day so that you won’t feel like you are being suffocated with the amount of information that you have to remember. Remember, climbing a mountain doesn’t happen all at once, its equally important to be patient while preparing for exams. Good luck!