Now, I don't usually take my time writing such long pieces of essays regarding tips on studying and exams but I think you could benefit greatly from this and I hope other students in years 9 and 10 who are having difficulty will acquire something out of this. Firstly, you have mentioned that your school has their exams all together in perhaps a week, in a similar fashion to many other schools of course. You have also identified the problem as perhaps being 'overwhelmed' with the workload and failing to recall important concepts on exam periods. This is where we begin. It is a good start as you have identified the problem. What you now must do is brainstorm and decide upon an attack point to rectify this.
Problem: Overwhelmed and failure to memorise
Possible solutions:
Obviously, a good strategy I have used in the past since year 9 was to purchase a completely new desk and re-organise the way I did things. I would recommend completely changing your work environment. By that, you should find a quiet area, perhaps your bed room to study. A new clean (big preferably) table with a nice sturdy comfortable chair (not too comfortable that you'll rather choose sleeping) will be the beginning. Ensure that there are absolutely no distractions when you study or do homework. Tell your family in advance that you would rather not be disturbed and I am sure they will understand and co-operate with you. When that is done, try and organise all your school work into folders or different subjects. Ensure that they are in an area together where you can immediately take them out without wasting time looking for it. Also, confirm that you have pens, pencils and all other relevant stationary needed to complete your work.
Aside from creating a new work environment, motivation is needed. By that, I mean finding something which will help you become resilient and focused on work. There are many tips which I can share for you but I will share this one which I find in particular, very helpful. I'm sure some people in the BOS community may have heard of this strategy I've used for school work but I will mention it for the benefit of others. Note the work that you have to have completed. Make sure they're very short term goals which are achievable and realistic. Example: You wouldn't want 'Get straight As in my half year examinations' but rather 'Finish completing this page of homework tonight' or 'Reading a chapter of a novel' (remember this is just an example). When you have identified the work to be done over the week, WRITE IT DOWN! Write it on a sticky note and paste it in your room on the walls or everywhere in the house for my case. When you have completed your task, you get the satisfaction of ticking off a note and ripping it off the wall. Also reward yourself when you finish tasks, such as dessert or perhaps spending time on the computer.
But what about study and homework technique? Obviously, I can offer a few tricks and tips which could hopefully aid you for that as well. For starters, listening in class and paying attention will get you far (I mean that seriously). If you're disregarding the teacher and simply talking to your friends, stop now. If it's a prevalent problem, move away from your friends in all subjects you have. Pay attention and ASK QUESTIONS! Many people feel like idiots because they expect that asking a stupid question which everybody knows would result in embarassment. But here's the truth. I will wager that half the time you have a question on your mind, another person has the same question although you're both afraid to ask. It doesn't matter what the class thinks if you ask a stupid question. What matters is YOUR understanding. When you are given homework or assignments or exams at school, make sure to READ IT CAREFULLY! If you have a query, you can ask straight after class rather then disadvantaging yourself by asking late.
Outside the school at home, you'll be approaching things differently. I will generally do the easiest work first to get it out of the way. When you have homework, be sure to complete it as soon as possible. This also goes for assignments to. Be independent enough to take out that assignment paper and do the work you're asked straight away when you have the opportunity. By doing all tasks early, there is less stress on yourself. For exams, you will generally get a notification. When you do, I normally ask the topics being assessed if they are not specified. Also, any queries or strangely worded sentences need clarification straight away with the teacher. When you know what to do, get home and immediately start on studying. By this, I generally have different tactics for studying in different subjects as the list below will demonstrate:
Maths: The idea behind doing well is to ensure that you UNDERSTAND the topics required. Schools will give you a text book and I believe whatever work your teacher sets, please do it promptly. If you experience any difficulty with the work they give, ask immediately the following day for help. My tutor told me that the trick in junior mathematics is to be familiar will all questions so that when you enter an exam, you're capable to do any question asked as you've 'seen' them all. Be consistent with maths. Do it everyday for about 30mins to 1hr and I'm sure you'll be comfortable in no time.
For all other subjects in general: In English and history especially, you may often get asked to write essays. The only help I can offer for that is that you should know and have read your text which you are meant to be studying. Reading the questions carefully on task sheets and being familiar with it should help. In science and other written inclined electives, what I generally do is create a comprehensive yet short summary of all the topics which I know will be assessed. I use microsoft word and read over my school books and text books to the chapters I need to. I will then highlight important or bolded sentences and place them into the word document which I would soon after print off to use and quick refer to whenever I need to. Read over the notes to jot your memory but it is also good to consistently read through your school book and text books to maximise potential.
Know this: When you have studied, you should not be afraid in an exam because you KNOW IT!
Obviously though, don't go into an exam adopting an attitude of 'This is going to be easy' but rather, assure yourself that you will do fine because you have studied. My school hardly does this, But I hear that many schools are now giving students the questions and you are to research and write your answers on the test date. If you have any of those forms of tests, the best advice for this is to write draft answers or dot points on what you need to know and answer the questions as per usual with what you have memorised.
Remember, aside from this huge long answer to you about work ethics and tips, please remember my secret to performing well in exams. It isn't how much you study but rather, how smart you are at studying. Do not be pressured by the peers of yours who have told you that they studied ten times more then you. The competition isn't with them, it's against yourself. You have to BALANCE your lifestyle to achieve marks in exams. Therefore, it means going out, playing an instrument or doing any extra curricular activities which you enjoy. I play quite a lot of sport in a week to relieve stress and relax. You should find that hobby of yours which comforts you in a time when you're stressed! A healthy body makes a healthy mind. Eat vegetables or fruits and stay away from the junk food if you can as they generally only increase your stress. My mother makes me drink green tea before exams and I find it a very helpful in clearing my mind.
Finally, I hope you've taken your time to read this and that it has in some way helped you. I know it's probably the longest piece of writing I've ever written in BOS but I have taken my time to do this because I want you to benefit completely from the techniques which I have learnt and been given by others. What the secret to doing exams? Essentially, there is nothing but inspiration and perspiration that gets you far. Remember that if you want anything clarified, please PM me and I'm happy to answer.
Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed typing this up.
