How to make a revision timetable in the run up to exam season

Follow these 5 simple revision steps to ensure a smooth and successful exam period

(Steven S./flickr/CreativeCommons)

There’s nothing worse than that sinking feeling you get two weeks before exams - and you realise you haven’t hit the book.

Balancing normal life with serious studying can be challenging, but building a revision timetable will help you find the right balance. Here’s how to get down to it:

1) Get all the information

Make sure you know all your important dates and times before you start building your revision plan. You’ll want your exam dates, lesson timetable and shifts at work all ready to go into your plan. Don’t forget, you’re going to want to factor in some downtime as well - such as time for meeting up with friends.

2) Be realistic

Okay, you want to do a ton of revision, but don’t go over the top. You’re not going to go without free time completely, so don’t build an agenda you have no chance of completing. Who can do 12 hours of revision a day?

Blank out the times you won’t be able to study - if you aren’t going to revise before 10am on a Saturday, mark that time as a lie-in. Otherwise, when you don’t leap out of bed at the crack of dawn, you’ll feel bad and throw yourself off your agenda.

3) Be detailed

A good plan breaks your revision down into bitesize pieces and shows times for each topic. Think carefully about your priorities; some topics will take you longer than others.

4) Be flexible

As well as allowing more time for tricky topics, don’t be afraid to adjust your plan if a subject takes longer than planned. It’s not just studying you might need more time for. An unexpected party may crop up and you don’t always have to deny yourself the good times. Stick to your timetable 80 per cent of the time and you will be okay.

5) Display your plan

Your revision timetable is only any use if you check it. Stick it on your wall so you can remind yourself what’s next. Keep referring back to it, crossing off subjects as you go. Crossing off subjects is the best feeling and will give you a great sense of achievement.

Peter Langley is the founder of Get Revising, a free learning website that has helped over one million students boost their grades