Exam season survival guide: staying organised

Written by: Fiza Ijaz  

As exam season approaches, you might find yourself feeling anxious or dreading the chaos of assignments and tests ahead. However, with the right organisation techniques and a work-life balance, you can transform that anxiety with confidence to tackle your exams with ease.  

Organising your time with a revision schedule 

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of sitting exams is revising the exam content. Creating a revision schedule can help provide a structure to your studying, by breaking down your exam material into manageable chunks. By organising your revision in this way, you will have a clear roadmap of how to prepare for your exams. This can provide consistency to your study routine and prevent the likelihood of any procrastination or cramming. However, do not feel tempted to abandon your schedule if you miss a day, just pick things back up again the next day. Alongside revision, be sure to also allocate time for attending your seminars and keeping up to date with all your lecture notes.  

Understand your exam format 

Different exams may have varying formats, such as multiple-choice questions, essays, problem-solving tasks or calculations. It is vital to know what types of questions will be on the exam and how they will be weighted, to stay organised. By knowing the format of your exam in advance, you can tailor your study approach to match the specific requirements of the assessment. This can also help you to familiarise yourself with the types of questions you’ll encounter and allows more time practising the skills you will need for the assessment. For example, in my Financial Accounting module, I ensure I practise writing out financial statements multiple times so that I am prepared for the exam questions.  

Choose a study method that works best for you  

When it comes to studying, there is an approach that works for everyone. Each of us have our own unique learning style and preferences, so it's important to find the study method that works best for you. Whether you're a visual learner who thrives on colourful diagrams and mind maps, or an auditory learner who absorbs information best through discussions and lectures, experiment to find the method that best suits your learning style. Remember, the key is to play to your strengths and find strategies that not only help you retain information but also make the learning process enjoyable and effective. Personally, I have found creating summary notes via Quizlet to condense key information as the most effective strategy for me, as well as making colourful mind maps.  

Work-life balance 

When revising for your exams it is important to find a healthy balance between your social life and university contact hours. Working hard to achieve your academic goals is necessary, but neglecting other aspects of life can lead to burnout, stress, and less productivity. It is crucial to carve out time to focus on something other than exams to unwind such as hanging out with friends, pursuing your hobbies, or simply relaxing. Taking time out from university work is vital to stay happy, healthy and motivated and will help you to recharge your energy and work harder in the long term. 

Self-care 

Finally, it is important to take care of yourself above all. Make sure you get plenty of rest, eat well, and stay hydrated leading up to your exam. Taking care of your mental and physical health will help you stay focused during exam season and will help you perform better during the exam. Trust in your knowledge and skills and just do your best, as this is all that is asked of you!