We understand that studying for your January exams is one of the last things you will want to be doing whilst trying to enjoy your well-deserved festive break, however, it is likely a reality for many students…
Try not to view revision over the holidays as a chore or something preventing you from having a good time, but rather something that is going to help you feel less stressed going back to university in the New Year.
We have put together some helpful tips for revision and productivity for those studying this festive reason:
Make sure you take what you need to, with you!
First and foremost, if you are planning on leaving your student accommodation and spending your winter break elsewhere, please ensure you pack all the things you need to be able to study whilst away!
This includes:
- Lecture notes
- Any course guides and printed documents
- Any books you have taken out on loan from the library
- Flashcards that you may have created for yourself
- Revision folders, paper, pens, etc
- Laptops, computers, ipads, chargers, etc
Tips for managing your time:
- Don't try to squeeze all your revision into just a few sessions. Either you won't study as in-depth as you should, or you will burn yourself out by working for long hours. Divide your study material into manageable chunks and give yourself chance to go over topics more than once if needed.
- Make a list of dates and times for your study slots. Seeing an overview of your study week means you can plan other activities around these sessions and not feel like you are scrambling to find time to revise last minute.
- Establish early on what the key things are you want to achieve from your study sessions over the holidays. Try to avoid going into the break with just the idea of ‘I need to study’ and instead actually think about what you want to get out of your time. Create an agenda for yourself by listing the topics you want to cover or the number of pages you want to read. Make sure you are being realistic with what you can achieve and ensure you still have time to have some festive fun.
You can read our top tips for how to balance revision with enjoying some relaxation during the festive break here.
University of Plymouth tools and technologies to support productivity
You can find University of Plymouth tools and technologies to support productivity here, including information, guidance and access to software, to support students learning from home. Please note, you will need to login to your Student Portal to access these technologies and tools.
Utilise online support available to you as a University of Plymouth student:
You can find the Digital Skills Support webpage on the University of Plymouth website which provides resources, tools, and technologies to support students in the development of digital skills and capabilities. There is also information and guidance to support students who are studying at home, which may be useful to anyone who is revising for exams or working on assignments during the winter break.
There is a section on how to navigate the Student Portal, enhancing Microsoft Outlook skills, and how to use your University ID for printing.
Make use of research support tools from the University of Plymouth:
Citation support and software to develop and distribute research surveys:
Within the Digital Skills Support webpage on the University of Plymouth website, you can find tools and technologies to support research, including software which helps you to keep track of references you discover through the course of your research, software to help you to record notes and track your deadlines, and tools to help you create, deploy, and analyse online surveys specifically designed for academic research.
The Charles Seale-Hayne Library
If you are leaving Plymouth for the winter break, you may think you no longer have use for the Charles Seale-Hayne Library (campus library), however, this is not the case. You can access research services and study support, as well as eJournals, eBooks, and databases to discover a wide range of academic resources to support you in your research.
Find a way of studying that suits you.
We are all different, and people learn in different ways. Whilst some may retain information by reading through notes, others may find it more beneficial to create visual tools, such as graphs, annotations, or drawings.
Here are a few tips for trying new study techniques:
- Use active learning techniques: If you are someone who does struggle with revising just from words on a page, instead of just passively reading through your notes, use active learning techniques to help you retain information. These include writing summaries, creating flashcards, and practicing problem sets. Engage with the material and use different methods to help you memorise and understand it.
- Give yourself rewards: Try to break up your study times and reward yourself with something you will enjoy each time you complete your sessions, for example, with a favourite food or watching an episode of a series you are enjoying. By establishing set times and rewarding yourself, you will likely be much more productive during your revision periods and feel less burnt out, meaning you will more likely stick to your study timetable..
- Utilise those around you! Whilst it is likely you will need a quite space to study for the most part, when it makes sense to, you could always get your family and friends involved in your study time. Whether you create quizzes or flash cards to help you learn or ask someone to read part of your essay back to you so you can hear it out loud and evaluate the flow of your writing; utilise those around you and explore new ways of studying!
Try to keep calm, both during the lead up to your exams over the winter break, and on the day of your exam.
Managing your mental wellbeing leading up to your exams:
It is perfectly normal to feel anxious about your upcoming exam(s), but it is important to keep as calm as possible so that you can think clearly and retain information whilst preparing and studying for your exams, and to perform to the best of your ability on the day.
If you are struggling to manage your feelings of anxiety around your upcoming exams, have a read of our guide to mindfulness practices, as well as suggestions for student apps and podcasts to download to support mental wellbeing here.
Managing your stress on the day of the exam:
Here are a few tips to manage your stress and to get through your exams on the day:
- If you get too overwhelmed, pause for a moment. Remember that it is better to take a few seconds or even minutes to calm yourself down than to push forward when you are stressed and not thinking clearly.
- If you can’t answer a question, move on. You can always revisit the questions you skipped if you have enough time after.
- Stay focussed on you, not what others are doing around you. Remember your strategy and do what works best for you; being distracted by what others are doing will only waste time and not benefit you.
- Remember, it will be over soon and no matter what the outcome is, you will be ok. We understand exams are important, but nothing is more important than your wellbeing. Be kind to yourself and know you did your best.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the studying for your exams, or struggling with your mental wellbeing in general over the winter break, please know you are not alone.
Student Space run by Student Minds’ can help to support students over the winter break through dedicated staff and by sharing information, tools, and articles that may be helpful and relevant to students.
Find out more about where to find help over the holidays here, inlcuding 24/7 crisis support lines.
Finally, know the format of your exam!
Knowing the format of the exam can help you prepare more effectively.
Find out the type of questions that will be asked, such as multiple choice, short answer, or essay questions. Also, be aware of the time limit and any other instructions provided by your exam coordinator.
We recommend preparing for your test day by doing some mock exams. By doing a mock exam, you can practise reading exam questions carefully, staying calm and focused on the task in front of you, and reviewing and proof reading your work once you have finished.