Did you know that coffee could make you more tired, or that bananas can make you happier? How about that exercise can wake you up, or that studying outside could calm you down? Between weeks 3 and 7, our Feel Good campaign will be rolling out again to make sure everyone gets through the next few months with as little unwanted stress as possible. We'll be providing you with practical hints and tips to make sure you realise how changes to a few simple things (such as diet, caffeine intake, sleep patterns, and water consumption) can have a pretty big impact on your happiness and mental wellbeing. There will be a stall in the Library with freebies being given away, a wealth of advice and info, and more to ensure you all get that Feel Good factor before summer rolls around. Each week, we will be exploring a different way of making sure that you are feeling good this term.
Week 3: Exercise Week 4: Caffeine vs. sleep Week 5: Healthy eating and drinking Week 6: De-stress
Do you want a quiet place to study, that’s not here? Central Timetabling are making a variety of rooms available for students to use for quiet study in the run up to exams, for the full list, see...
http://tinyurl.com/quietstudy
PRIORITISE AND PLAN What format is the exam? Prioritise which topics to revise, considering the choice given in the exam. Will questions combine topics? Do past papers indicate a pattern (though be cautious on this one because it can all change!)? Try to put what you’re good at to the fore. Refer to course aims and content to make sure you have a clear understanding of the objectives of the course… and above all, be realistic! Set achievable goals to keep spirits high.
PRACTISE RECALLING Once you’ve acquired knowledge, revising takes three stages: understanding, memorising, and testing. Aim to produce a good set of notes to work from. Once they’re made, don’t just sit and stare at them — the more distinctive the learning process, the more likely you are to remember it at the vital time. Try to memorise trigger words or objects to remind you of the text, or use pictures or mnemonics. Practise answering questions from past papers, and make sure you try them timed.
PROCRASTINATION Turn off any distractions you can e.g. television, mobile. If you don’t have to be online, then try to disable the internet; if you can’t, make sure you don’t have Facebook or e-mail tabs open. You can always check all these during your breaks!
PUT YOUR FEET UP Set aside half-days without work to give yourself good breaks. Research says you should take 10 minutes break per hour to improve, and if you start to flag, increase breaks on a sliding scale. During your breaks, try to get some fresh air and go for a walk; even if you don’t go outside, try and change your surroundings. Don’t leave your study space for more than 30 minutes though, or the library fairies will smite you with notes.