Exams are approaching, and you have no choice: it's the final stretch and you have to get to work!
Whether you've been procrastinating or, on the contrary, you've been very studious, stress threatens your tired brain, which is starting to mix up all its brushes. So rather than producing an infamous scribble, instead of a true work worthy of you, it's time to put the right strategies in place and avoid certain pitfalls.
Rather than the traditional "to do list", we offer you the "not to do list", in French, what you should definitely not do when revising.
1- Review on other people's worksheets
The first mistake to avoid is using someone else's flashcards to revise. Firstly, because the person who wrote the flashcards is a student like you and is not immune to mistakes or misinterpretations; secondly, because the principle of flashcards is based on memorizing color codes or abbreviations that you have chosen based on your work habits and to facilitate memorization. What works for one person may not be at all effective for another.
2- Making dead ends
Faced with a workload that seems insurmountable (especially if we've been procrastinating), we may be tempted to skip classes and focus on a selection of topics that seem more likely than others. It's a gamble we're taking, and like any gamble, the risk of error is significant. You're simply risking a blank sheet of paper on exam day.
3- Revise at the last minute by spending your nights there!
You can't make up for lost time by spending days and nights studying in the weeks leading up to the exam. This is a common mistake many students make, and it's a long-lasting one. While the rush of urgency can create the illusion of greater efficiency, this method of working gradually proves to be completely counterproductive; your concentration and cognitive abilities are blunted, and your work is ineffective. So take frequent breaks, and above all, get some sleep!
4- Putting sports and going out aside
Fatigue and stress are the main enemies of memory, so instead, you should create relaxation areas to see your friends, go to the cinema or play sports. A relaxed and regenerated brain is much more efficient for a new revision session, and your concentration will only be optimized.
5- Partying and getting drunk
To unwind, some students are tempted to resort to the joys of student life, that is, heavily alcoholic evenings, but here again, it is better to prefer going out with friends, laughing while revising together, and leaving the alcoholic revelry for later. As with all-nighters, the excitement and euphoria will be short-lived and your revision sessions will be completely ineffective. Patience! There will always be time to party when you pass the exam, for example!
