ok, here's a few:

try associating certain topics with smells (preferably non-offensive portable smells) so that you can have a sachet of the smelly thing in the exam hall and it can subconsciously remind you of your studies.

alternatively, try writing out key pasages (by hand or typing) in different colours - when you try and remember an answer, it should remember as being in a certain colour and if it's not the right colour for the topic, you know it's not the right answer (i can't tell you how well that worked for me in higher biology, kreb's cycle and t'other one, got confused but remembered one was in red, the other in green, and that sorted it out).

as for relieving boredom, stick on some music that you hum along to or sing in your head anyway - if you start thinking about the music in the exam, you might remember the answer easier too.


generally, studying works better when you can associate the thing you're studying with an additional stimulus.

Well I read a bit on it, it was a little article by Tony Buzzan, world memory champion, basically 45min periods then a break normally about 15min maybe a cup of tea, watch the telly listen to some tunes and then do another 45mins. apparently because your brain isn't as good at remembering everything it reads.

I'm not one for making out cards with the notes on them, all my teachers suggest it but I personally think its a load of ****. I just like reading it over and then while I'm reading it thinking about it in my head.

I strongly recommend the time system makes it alot easier to get a good 2 or 3hrs cramming if its broken up into 2 or 3 45mins + 15mins break.

This all is personal like but I think it'll work for you too, remember Tony is the world memory champ.

I like to live with the work I do, I studied art so it didnt seem so strange - but I literally kept my work process ( methodology of ideas ) up on the wall, as visible as possible - then I just lived with it, kept a pen and paper handy, looked around at my ideas in different orders and let my mind just calculate and go to work.

This would really help me pull ideas apart and put them back together in alternate orders, without the fear of forgetting my goal.

After doing this for a while, documenting each reconstruction of ideas I began to really understand how to articulate my process and aims which really aided my work and made it more of a mental exercise.

How this translates to other studies than art, Im not sure, but once something becomes an autopilot task, it suddenly seems much more fun, at least for me.

Perhaps you could take the key topics of your subjects and break them into smaller sub categories, write each on a piece of paper, throw them up on the wall and see how you can link each idea together (it may help you understand how the topics relate).

Hope I didnt confuse you too much there :)

revision can be a bore and a drag

here is a great site, by the bbc to try and vamp it up a bit I suppose

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/revision/

also this site is pretty damn good, essential in many ways

basically free revision notes and even course work for students!

http://www.revision-notes.co.uk/

Research has found that the mind can only concentrate for 20 minutes at a time, so I would study for 20 minutes, have a little walk around the room & start the next 20 minutes studying, it does work. Studying before you go to bed also helps the mind to retain the information better. Some people use the reward system where you plan to study maybe an hour before you have a cuppa or something. I make short notes of what seems a important part of what I'm studing so its a easier reminder of the important parts, then read your notes before you go on to the next part. Make a list of what you need to learn & make a realistic timetable of when you can learn each part, but have gaps & make sure you do have enough time to fit everything in. The most important thing that I found was the need to have really good lighting, as this prevents eye tiredness from bad or poor light. Don't listen to music or watch the TV during study breaks, as you will remember the tune or show more than what you studied. Make time to sleep, the eyes & body do need to rest, you might need slightly more sleep than normal due to eye strain. Good luck for what ever you are studying

I found the best way to study is to write things out over and over again,but try not to copy, read the text from your books etc then try to put it into your own words, because you don't want to answer all your questions like you have copyed out of books, another good tip is to try and have bullet points of bits you are stuck with written out to go over just before the exam or test, that way your more likely to remember them.