Pre-Exam Routine: A Formula for Success
The Night before and the morning of an Exam are frequently filled with Inefficient Revision and Ineffective Use of your time.
Tonight Before the First GSCE Exam for Many of you, I’ll provide a Simple Routine you can follow to ensure your Mind is at Optimum Performance to get the most out of the test that may decide your future.
The Night Before:
Revision:
The Night before a test you need to ideally be In a position where you have no remaining revision left pending, e.g You’ve Finished all the past papers and practice questions you’ve planned to do and now you just need to have a final glance over your flashcards/notes.
In this Scenario what I often do and what you should be doing, is doing some very light revision by doing a final review of your subject content , e.g by reviewing your flashcards, or going over whatever source of information you have , Don’t Overload your Brain with any new information as a) its not likely to retain it and b) your brain is a muscle that gets fatigued easily , you therefore want to keep it fresh for your exam.
The Other Scenario is where you haven’t revised as well as you should’ve and you instead need to Cram, In this Scenario all you can really do is
Review your Specification for all that you need to know , and use a source of information to learn it e.g Youtube videos or specification
Bang Out Practice Questions
Review any weak areas and improve
Perhaps the most ineffective revision method but you can still cram in an effective manner by doing the above and not compromising on sleep diet etc.
But the Bottom Line is Never ever Allow your revision to go so off the rails that you’re forced to Cram.
Supplementary Activities:
Sleep: From the Bottom of my Heart I Swear to you ; You will benefit more by getting 8 Hours of Sleep than by Revising Late At Night, Walking into a Test , especially a GSCE with less Sleep is already setting yourself up for failure , before even opening up the test , So PLEASE get 8 Hours of Sleep , Revise when you’re fresh In the morning if you really need to.
Fueling your brain with a nutritious dinner before an exam is paramount. Opt for a well-balanced meal consisting of lean proteins complex carbohydrates for delayed energy release and an assortment of vegetables
Hydrate with water excessively. By prioritizing a good dinner, you set yourself up for success in the exam room.
Relax: Your Brain’s Performance is Physiologically affected by your mood levels and the strain you put it under , Giving it Active Relaxation may seem difficult when an exam with 2 Years worth of content looms for the next day , but picture your Brain as an Athlete ; the Day Before an Important Game would you ask the Athlete to train all out and tire himself out , or give his body a rest in preparation for the next day?
Scientific Studies overwhelmingly demonstrate the need for these 2 fundamentals to be in place before an Exam. Loading your brain with more information when it doesn’t have the basics it needs to perform well is a Recipe for Failure.
The Day Of the Exam:
Most of 2023’s GSCEs are taking place during Afternoon Hours , I would therefore recommend the following routine (What I plan to do tomorrow morning for Biology Paper 1):
Wake up well on time - thus decreasing stress and improving your cognitive performance
Eat Breakfast filled with Complex Carbs + Hydrate yourself up until AND during the Exam (Self-Explanatory)
Avoid Heavy Revision , Like I Said previously , your brain is a muscle , Do Not Tire it out before the Real Thing has even started ; Aim for Light Revision to warm yourself up but nothing too intense or prolonged
Relax yourself and use Positive Visualization ; While the effect of visualization is debatable , there is heavy research demonstrating the significant improvement In performance experienced by those who actively relax themselves and picture themselves performing their best before an exam or sports game ; Try Meditating for a few minutes if that’s your thing , or whatever method works best for you to focus and relax. At All Costs you need to avoid a Stressed Panic Brain
What I’ve just Distilled for you may seem like an Overload of Seemingly insignificant activities, But I guarantee you these Small Changes Accumulate and make the difference between a Grade 6,7,8 and a Grade 9 Student.
Ultimately you’ve likely been preparing for this exam for a significant duration; To Leave your performance up to chance by avoiding these fundamentals leaves your hard work insignificant and will waste your efforts; What you do in these Hours may determine your Future; So Give it your All.
Good luck with your exam tomorrow.
You've got this, and I have every confidence that you'll smash it.
Trust in your preparation, stay focused, and let your hard work shine. Remember to stay calm, believe in yourself, and give it your all.