The 2023 GCSE and IGCSE examinations are finally here! How are you doing? I mean, you’ve got days till your first GCSE exam! Feeling anxious? Overwhelmed? A little nauseas? Don’t worry! It’s normal. Struggling to fall asleep because failing grades and forgotten notes keep haunting your nights? That’s normal too!
The last couple of days leading up to the big day can be stressful, but they are also an opportunity for you to pull yourself together, do some extra revision a.k.a CRAMMING, and work on curbing all that exam anxiety you’re feeling right now
Keep reading if you’re looking for some expert tips on how to cram like a pro , fool-hardy exam preparation hacks and expert advice that’ll have you showing up to your exam feeling cool, calm and, confident!
Should I revise the night before my GCSE and IGCSE exams?
Yes, revising the night before the exam is a great way for you to go through all your notes one last time before facing the final exam. But do not go into it blindly, instead put together a plan and stick to it. Start with the topics that you’re still a little wary of and work your way down to the stuff that you’ve mastered already. Reading through past papers you’ve practiced so far is also a excellent way to revising the night before your exam. You can make note of the type of questions you can expect to see on the paper tomorrow and the errors you made
Is pulling an all-nighter before my 2023 GCSE and IGCSE exams a good idea?
NO, all-nighters before any GCSE paper, whether its Mathematics or Chemistry is a BAD BAD BAD idea. You should walk into that exam hall feeling confident, fresh and well rested, something that is not possible if you haven’t had a good nights sleep. Get all your revision done early, pack your bag and get you 7 hours of sleep!
Revision (CRAMMING) Tips for the 2023 GCSE and IGCSE Examinations
Revise using chapter summaries, revision notes and cheat sheets
Remember, you’ve got an entire syllabus to remember and not much time left, so summaries and short revision notes your best shot at studying all your subjects in a matter of days. Skip reading entire chapters in you text book and instead focus on the key points outlined at the very beginning of each chapter. Also, remember to prepare cheat sheets for important equations, formulas and key terms. Cheat sheets are your secret weapon for memorizing tough formulas and guess what? They also save precious time
Learn by explaining
A tried and tested method for studying is to learn by explaining to oneself or others. It can be your friend from study group, an uninterested sibling or your mom, find someone who’s willing to listening and explain all that you’ve learnt to them and trust me, you’ll remember it 10x better! It tests your understanding and recall of information and is a great opportunity for clearing any doubts you may have
Practice past papers, predicted papers and topic tests
If you’ve got just a few days left, ditch the textbooks, flashcards and revision notes and stick to past papers. There’s no point in burning the midnight oil pouring over notes if you aren’t able to answer an exam style question. Past papers, predicted papers and mark schemes are all that you’ll need to go over everything on the syllabus and become a pro at answering papers in a matter of hours! You can sharpen your time management skills, boost your understanding of key concepts, learn how to apply formulas, solve problems, clear doubts, I mean the possibilities are endless!
Prepare a checklist of the most important topics
Start by listing down all the important topics, theories and concepts you’ll need to know for the exam. Let’s be realistic, it’s not possible to learn everything when studying for an exam – especially when you’re stress cramming a couple of days before the exam. The next best option you’ve got is to focus on the topics that are most likely to show up on the exam. When it comes to subjects like Mathematics and Chemistry, there are certain topics that you will be tested on no matter what, like quadratic equations and surds, so pay special attention to these recurring topics when revising.
Do not PANIC!
It’s easy to look at the colossal amount of content you’re expected to remember and start completely freaking out. But NO, do not do that! Try your best to stay calm and positive as you work your way through each subject. Panicking is just going to stress you out even more and you’re also wasting precious time that you don’t have. Take a deep breath, tell yourself ‘You’ve got this, buddy!’ and take it one step at a time
Conclusion
Throughout the school year, students are warned of the punishing consequences of procrastination and the horrors of cramming but unfortunately, sometimes some last minute cramming is inevitable. With multiple subjects to worry about, tuition classes and days packed with paper after paper, exam season can be hectic!
Though studying an entire subject a few days before the final paper can be overwhelming, it not impossible. Effective revision is all about reviewing lecture notes, preparing flashcards, drawing mind maps and strengthening those exam writing skills with a few past papers.
Plus if you’re feeling overwhelmed, Tyrion’s is always here to help you out. Take a few calming breaths, relax and follow our tips religiously and you’ve got this! You’ll be turning those 6’s in 9’s in no time. Good luck!