The Easter holidays are probably your first chance to start revising for your exams, uninterrupted. By now, you’ve handed in coursework, covered the syllabus and the next three weeks is a good time to kickstart your revision – and having some time off too.
Balancing study and rest is important, but not always easy. So, here’s how to make the most of Easter holiday revision, so you feel ready and refreshed for exam period.
1. Get prepped for exams…
Make a revision timetable
Your first course of action – plan and create a clear revision timetable. Make it realistic and easy to stick to. Planning when and how you revise before you start can really help set you up for success and help you maintain focus. Either create a paper version or a digital tool like this one to build a digital timetable.
First, identify what you actually need to revise. ‘Maths’ and ‘English’ are too general, so try to subdivide your topics into their smallest parts – whether that’s modules or topic areas. This way, you’ll have a clear list of topics you need to learn for each exam paper, and it help you identify any gaps in your class notes or knowledge.
Then, work out how much time you have until your exams, and divide up your revision accordingly. You might be stronger on some subjects than others, so it’s okay to spend a little less time revising for those exams, although be wary of complacency – you might be naturally gifted at French, but you still need to invest the hours and learn all the information in order to secure yourself the highest possible mark.
Create a calm study space
Before you start your Easter holiday revision, find a calm, quiet place with minimal distractions. This might be a comfortable study space at home, or you may prefer to venture out somewhere like the local library – whatever works for you.
Have a stack of flash cards and a pencil case full of pens at the ready. This will help to stave off procrastination, like finding the ‘perfect’ pen or notepad.
Set realistic goals for yourself
Set yourself tasks for the day and stick to them. But try not to be overly ambitious in your planning. Splitting your revision into digestible chunks can help you feel like you’re constantly progressing and ticking things off. Not achieving your targets for the day can damage your confidence. So, try your timetable for a few days to see if what you’ve added is achievable.
Keep your exam timetable visible and let your parents know when key dates are and what you hope to achieve each day. They can check in with your progress and help to keep you accountable and motivated.
Try out different revision techniques
Not everyone revises in the same way. Copying out class notes may help some students but it might not help the information go in for others. So, use the Easter holiday revision time as an opportunity to discover how you best revise. Some revision strategies to explore include:
- Consolidating and re-writing information from your notes and textbooks
- Creating mind maps or spider diagrams for complex information
- Creating essay plans key questions that may come up
- Using flash cards to remember key dates, vocabulary or facts
- Getting tested by your peers or parents to check what you remember and what you don’t
- Creating pictures, drawings or visual cues
Check out the MyTutor exam revision toolkit for more ideas.
Minimise distractions
Switch off your phone or at least turn off notifications when you’re revising to avoid getting pulled into a chat with friends or what’s happening on social media. Setting boundaries like this will not only help you focus, but it’s been proven that mindless scrolling and ‘doomscrolling’ (scrolling through bad news or negative content) can increase levels of stress and anxiety.
Practice past papers
Before the Easter holidays start, make sure you have a selection of past papers to work through. You can find them online or they may be given out by your teachers.
Perhaps wait until you’ve gathered your notes and got stuck into revising before attempting one. This will give you a sense of how much information you’ve absorbed and which concepts you need to focus on.
Then, when you feel confident, try doing some papers under timed conditions and without your notes, at least once per week. You can use them as a benchmark for your progress. Don’t race through them across Easter, save a few papers for the weeks immediately before your exam.
Self-monitor your learning
As you’re doing your Easter holiday revision, try to check-in on how successfully you’re understanding or remembering what you’re learning. Ask yourself: ‘Is this going in?’ ‘Am I understanding?’ Sometimes you might be feeling distracted, tired or antsy. Try to identify these times and get away from your study area if you need. A brisk walk outside or chat with a friend can be a great way to recharge.
2. Look after yourself…
Make time to relax
It’s still a fair while until exams are over in June and it can help to pace yourself and build up your energy, rather than burning out early on. Time off is just as important as your time revising. Research shows that taking purposeful breaks (anywhere between 5–60 minutes) from your studies helps to refresh your brain and body, by increasing your energy, productivity and ability to focus.
Before the holidays start, choose how many days off you’re going to take and what you’re going to do on those days. Whether it’s seeing friends, planning in days out or time just to chill, it’s important to let yourself relax on those days.
Prioritise sleep
Sleep is maybe the most important thing for your health and it’s essential to get enough sleep during the revision period. Get plenty of rest during the Easter holidays so you have energy for your sessions. When it comes to sleep patterns, try what works for you – whether that’s an early rise so you can finish earlier or having a lie in and working a little later. Aim for a solid 7-9 hours’ sleep, to give your brain time to process all the things you’ve been revising that day.
Did you know that morning light can help with your sleep? Head outside for a run, hang out in the garden, balcony or the local park when you can. And though tempting, try not to overdo the caffeine when revising – too much can disrupt your focus, give you headaches, mess with your sleep and even give you the shakes.
Eat well
During this time it’s important to look after yourself, and food can play a big part in helping to keep you energised and focused. The good thing is, you don’t need fancy foods to be healthy – try a hearty breakfast in the morning like porridge, scrambled eggs or yoghurt with fruit. Having something that’s high in protein helps to keep your energy levels topped up.
When you’re feeling a little more stressed than usual, it’s normal to reach for comforting foods like chocolate, crisps and sweets. Strike a healthy balance by stocking up on some of your favourites and then mix it up with healthier snacks like nuts and fruit, too.
3. Things to avoid…
Cramming
Try not to leave revision until the last minute – get started early in the Easter holidays and this will enable you to get ahead. Everyone can be guilty of cramming at the last minute, but trying to remember everything all at once takes lots of energy and can leave you feeling really stressed out. Chunk out your revision to help stave off this feeling of panic.
Working without a break
When planning your day, make sure you include gaps to rest, eat, move and stay hydrated. Try the Pomodoro technique, where you revise a topic for 25 minutes before taking a short break of 5 minutes, where you give your brain a proper rest. Schedule in longer breaks for lunch and the opportunity to go for a walk or do some exercise each day, too.
Being too rigid
Expecting yourself to be ‘on’ and highly productive each day might be unrealistic. We all have the odd ‘off’ day, when your energy is low or you’re feeling particularly distracted. Though it’s very important to stick to your revision timetable to keep on track, you can also give yourself some flexibility on tougher days. Try shorter periods of revision sessions, start the day with your favourite topic or move rest days around if you just need some time off.
The bottom line…
Ultimately, there’s a lot of ground to cover over Easter and the pressure to balance work with rest can feel overwhelming. But, as long as you stay as focused as possible and put in the work, you can really make the most of this first revision period.
Thousands of students have gone through these exams before, so try not to panic. Your hard work will be rewarded and your body will thank you for allowing it some balance. Good luck with your Easter holiday revision!