Studying may not be many students’ idea of fun, no matter how interested they are in the subject at hand. However, it’s a necessary evil, especially when you consider how quickly exam season will be upon us once Big Ben chimes in the new year later this month.
Here at Tutorspot, we know a thing or two about studying for exams and our A Level tutors have been providing students with expert advice on studying and revising for years. We’ve pulled together some of our top tips for study activities you can do over the Christmas break – some of them might even be fun!
OK, so perhaps this doesn’t sound like the most fun activity in the world – but it all depends on how you look at it. Taking the time to organise your notes, making sure you have all the information you need as well as discarding anything you don’t, can be a very relaxing and cathartic experience.
Throw in some brand-new stationery, some funky coloured post-It notes, and highlighters and you could be having an absolute whale of a time before you know it. Decluttering your files, folders and notepads can be beneficial, especially when it comes to your mental health – living in a cluttered environment can make you feel bogged down, and this is precisely the same effect a disorganised workspace can have on your ability to study too.
So, why not take the time to clear out your desk, or even give it a bit of a freshen up? Maybe a new desk, furniture, some inspirational quotes – whatever works for you, take the time to create an area that you actually enjoy being in, no matter what subject you’re studying at the time.
If you’ve got dreams of being an event planner, then this particular activity might appeal – but if not, try to bear with us. Spending an hour or so creating a timetable for your revision activities is a great way to plan your study time. We can all start the Christmas holidays with the best of intentions to work our socks off, but the reality is there’s only so much time you’re going to be able to dedicate to your revision or coursework.
Starting the holidays with a realistic expectation of what you’re going to achieve will ensure that you’re more likely to stick to any timetable you create, and you’re less likely to feel demotivated as time goes by. We’d certainly recommend taking the time to factor in fun activities into your timetable too, rather than focussing entirely on academia.
If you know you work better in the morning, then schedule your study for those times, and then use the afternoon to serve as a treat for all the hard work you’ve done. Perhaps a morning of working with your tutor online in Maths or Science, followed by some additional work on your English essay, can be topped off with an afternoon of watching Christmas films. We heartily recommend Elf, if you’re looking for recommendations.
Talking of Buddy the Elf, Christmas is a time for getting together, so you should definitely consider buddying up with some of your mates and doing some revision sessions in a group, rather than constantly working solo.
Studying and revising doesn’t always have to be a silent experience, surrounded by countless oversized textbooks in the local library. Instead, you could get together, create some flash cards, and develop some fun games to play together. Why not make a Bingo game based on science equations, or turn your set text for English into a game of Articulate. There are so many ways you can add some flare and fun into your studies if you’re prepared to think outside of the box and get a bit creative.
Everyone has their own learning style – some find it easy to absorb information in the form of a lecture from their GCSE tutor, whilst others need to be far more hands on. When it comes to English, some students are happy to simply make notes, whilst others find this pointless and work better if they highlight relevant text. Another great idea is to consider online tutoring.
It’s important to find the way that works best for you when it comes to studying so you can best maximise your own potential. Working with an online tutor, for instance a maths and science tutor, is an ideal way to add a bit of variety into your study sessions as they will be best placed to provide you with a variety of different stimuli and ideas which are still relevant to your curriculum as well as your own individual learning goals.
Online tuition can take a huge variety of different forms, from simply going through homework questions to watching demonstrations, listening to Podcasts, and working through specific calculations. Your tutor will find ways to encourage, support and inspire you in your quest for better understanding, increased confidence, and ultimately better grades. Outside of the online tuition relationship they will also encourage you to continue your education, pushing you to dive deeper into the subject and learn around the topics you’re studying to greatly enhance your knowledge.
It may seem crazy, but there are lots of fun, interesting and entertaining media available that cover all types of subjects, and your tutor will help supply you with these.
If you’re interested in finding someone to provide you with tuition online, with an online maths tutor or science tutor for instance; or for triple science, a biology tutor, chemistry tutor or physics tutor; or even a physics and maths tutor if you are studying maths and physics for A level, then the team at Tutorspot can help. We have a wide variety of tutors available covering GCSE and A Level subjects, ensuring that you can get the support you need to achieve your goals and reach your potential when it comes to your studies and the next steps, you’re planning to take on your educational journey and future career. All you have to do is search for a tutor in the subject you want to improve on, and then get in touch with them directly. The benefit of online tuition means you don’t have to worry about location – so you really do have more options with Tutorspot.
